If rural and urban areas don’t work together, they might not work at all.

I believe the invitation said I would discuss “the state of the rural economy”. Let me begin by saying I am not going to do so……largely, because there is no such thing as “the rural economy”. What we have are rural areas……and within that landscape there are countless people and places. However, those people and places are not part of some unique rural economy that has a firewall around it, making it separate and distinct from an urban economy, which is also a nonstarter of a concept. For better or worse, in today’s global economy there no longer exist self-contained economies……or what economists refer to as closed economies.

What we have, instead are highly integrated and interdependent economies. Over 60 years ago Will Durant drafted a “declaration of interdependence”. Again, not a “declaration of independence” but a “declaration of interdependence”. Although the context and reason for Durant crafting his declaration of interdependence has nothing to do with urban and rural it is still a useful concept to keep in mind.

What makes more sense is to focus on regional economies and recognize that most regional economies have both rural and urban landscapes within them…..and then build regional economic opportunities around the regional assets that already exist. This can be done and needs to be done in a way that all boats—rural and urban—rise at the same time. What might these regional economies look like?

By: Sam Cordes
Associate Vice Provost for Engagement
Co-Director, Center for Regional Development
and
Assistant Director
Cooperative Extension Service
Purdue University

Full Presentation: http://www.matr.net/files/SamCordesUrban-Rural.pdf