Programs for Rural Development: A Comparative Study of Three Mississippi Multicounty Centers.

The problems faced by 3 rural communities in Mississippi are identified, and their development programs are analyzed. Data were collected from 3 nonmetropolitan, multicounty centers, located in 3 distinct geographic regions of Mississippi. The 3 major analytical and data collecting concepts used were actions or programs; associations, organizations, and groups; and actors, community participants or leaders, following the interactional conception of community. The communities were described in terms of demographic characteristics, problems facing the community, and development programs. The 2 dimensions of community participation considered were the scope and extent of participation in development programs. It was determined that the most important agency for coordinating development programs in all 3 communities was the local Chamber of Commerce and that good communities are made possible by the willingness of people and their leaders to face challenges and create for themselves what they need. It was suggested that factors like leadership structure, strategy of program development, style of action, and relationships between community organizations need to be taken into account in explaining the success of development programs in some communities and failure in others. (PS)