Abstract
This paper explores some recent manifestations of regional inequalities in the rural space of Israel. Th e Israeli rural space is largely made up of planned settlements, which were originally based on a principle of equal opportunity to all settlers to attain an average predetermined level of income. Th is principle was applied through an even allocation of agricultural means of production and institutional supporting mechanisms designed to minimize inequalities among farmers and settlements. Th e changes in government policy towards the rural sector which followed the economic crisis of the mid- 1980s, combined with the weakening of the tabilization mechanisms, exposed farmers and rural settlements to the vagaries of the ompetitive market. Th e spatial disparity in economic opportunities, deriving from different ocational advantages and constraints, and the diversity of physical and human resources, as well as diff erential policies of local authorities, resulted in increasing socio-economic inequalities among households and communities. Th is paper is a preliminary attempt to examine a number of dimensions of inequality that exist in the rural space in Israel, and to identify the underlying factors that may explain these inequalities. The basic spatial unit under consideration is the regional council, and the data analysis produced three distinct clusters of regional councils which exhibit diff erent levels of economic and social development. These differences are explained in part by diverse locational and population characteristics.
Original language | American English |
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Pages (from-to) | 75-94 |
Journal | Journal of Rural Studies |
Volume | 27 |
State | Published - 2012 |