The findings of a sample study of 257 villages in Egypt illustrate the salience of social and cultural variables in shaping community level of development. Existence and efficiency of organizations in Egypt ranked at the top of predictors with regard to direct causal effect on village development level. These organizations include the local governance unit, the social unit including a government directed community development association, village bank, schools, mosques and churches, agricultural cooperative, veterinary unit, youth and women associations (also governmentally directed), health units or village hospital, police unit (security organization), … etc. A very small indirect effect is also played by these organizations through their being a small part of a complex, titled here, “social engineering, or social technology.” Such complex includes, in addition to the above mentioned organizations, the degree of organizational coordination, proportion of population employed in village organizations and degree of organizational variety.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Rural Development in a Sustainable Perspective
Historic and Macro-level Perspective of Rural Development in Egypt
The study’s General Hypothesis: Government Monopoly of Development
Methodology
The Sample
Variables and Measurement
Findings and Discussion
Effect of Local Community Variables on Village Level of Development
Summary and Conclusions
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this work is to analyze the barriers to sustainable development within rural Egyptian communities, testing the hypothesis that an imbalance between government-controlled development and public participation is the root cause of underdevelopment. The research seeks to identify key socio-cultural and structural predictors of development at the village level.
- The role of social and cultural variables in village-level development.
- The impact of institutional efficiency and organizational coordination.
- The hypothesis of "Government Monopoly of Development" in Egypt.
- Methods for measuring rural development and its key determinants.
- The necessity of structural and functional change for sustainable progress.
Excerpt from the Book
Rural Development in a Sustainable Perspective
Before defining rural development, it might be helpful to view its opposite, backwardness. Backwardness seems to be a relative phenomenon, value-laden concept, highly complex and involving all structural and functional components of given societies. Its causes have been attributed to so many variables with scholars often confusing causes with symptoms.
The most effective approach to conquer backwardness is probably through comprehensive attack on the stymied structures, standing supported by the status quo of which the government itself is a central part. Importance of creating valid visions for political, cultural, socio-economic restructuring is mostly emphasized in the way of combating backwardness and in pursuit of rural development.
Backwardness is probably best faced through sustainable rural development. Thus, sustainability is a quality of the development process. This quality is the one that makes development continuous, self-reliant, autochthonous, environmentally friendly and productive. This quality includes both structural and functional elements.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This section introduces the concept of sustainability within development literature, highlighting the lack of consensus on its definition and utilizing Gale and Cordray’s typology to frame the discussion.
Rural Development in a Sustainable Perspective: This chapter contrasts rural development with the concept of backwardness and identifies the structural and functional elements necessary for achieving sustainable rural progress.
Historic and Macro-level Perspective of Rural Development in Egypt: The chapter explores the deep-rooted historical and international factors that have contributed to rural underdevelopment in Egypt, including dependency and centralized government failures.
The study’s General Hypothesis: Government Monopoly of Development: This section presents the core hypothesis that an over-centralized development pattern, favoring government control over public participation, is the primary driver of underdevelopment.
Methodology: The chapter details the research design, covering the purposive selection of 257 Egyptian villages and the specific quantitative metrics used to measure 24 independent variables and the dependent variable of development level.
Findings and Discussion: This section analyzes the correlation and regression results, determining the relative impact of various dimensions such as organizational efficiency and participation on overall village development.
Effect of Local Community Variables on Village Level of Development: This chapter presents the statistical results of independent variables as predictors of development, identifying the core determinants that explain the variance in village progress.
Summary and Conclusions: The final chapter synthesizes the research findings, reaffirming the role of socio-cultural variables and providing recommendations for future policy-making centered on decentralization and democracy.
Keywords
Sustainable development, rural Egypt, backwardness, government monopoly, social technology, organizational efficiency, community participation, socio-cultural variables, rural development, institutional structure, standardization, economic dependency, structural change, village governance, modernization.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research?
The research focuses on the systemic barriers to sustainable development in rural Egypt, investigating why certain villages remain underdeveloped despite various government initiatives.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The study covers the definition of sustainability, the structural and functional components of rural development, the historical causes of Egyptian village underdevelopment, and the role of social technology.
What is the central research question?
The study investigates whether the imbalance between centralized government control and local public participation is the fundamental cause of rural underdevelopment in Egypt.
Which scientific methods were employed?
The author utilized a systematic, multi-method approach including historical analysis, secondary statistical data, and extensive field surveys conducted across 257 Egyptian villages.
What does the main body of the work analyze?
The main body examines the specific predictors of development, such as organizational efficiency, infrastructure, cultural openness, and the "social engineering" required to foster sustainable growth.
What characterize this study?
The study is characterized by its focus on socio-cultural determinants, the use of standardized T-scores for variable measurement, and a rigorous causal model for village development.
How does the author define 'social technology' in the Egyptian context?
Social technology refers to a complex of organizational arrangements, coordination, and the utilization of human resources within the village that effectively bridge the gap between government administration and community needs.
What is the significance of the "Government Monopoly of Development" hypothesis?
It suggests that because development has been historically kept within the "government womb" in Egypt, citizens were reduced to mere subjects, which effectively stifled the community viability and self-help potential necessary for real progress.
- Quote paper
- Mohamed Nabil Gamie (Author), 2011, Community Barriers of Sustainable Development in Rural Egypt, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/174332
