LOCAL ORGANIZATION DIMENSIONS OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN TURKEY : SOCIO-ECONOMIC STRATIFICATION ORIENTATIONS TOWARD PARTICIPATION, AND ATTITUDINAL MODERNITY

Such are the conclusions of this study, performed under the auspices of Cornell University"s Rural Development Committee, aimed at finding correlations between the socioeconomic and attitudinal composition of rural organizations and the development of the agricultural sector. Seven thousand villagers in 458 villages were surveyed in terms of the variables noted below. The following correlations were made: (1) Advanced village development strengthens the tendency to initiate and participate in organizations. (2) Equal distribution of wealth is directly proportional to village development, especially in villages with high levels of organizational intiative, technological development, and equal land distribution. There is little or no direct proportionality between equal land distribution and level of village development alone. Equal land distribution and village development are directly proportional, however, when village organizational initiative is high or wealth distribution is equitable or when these two conditions are found together. (3) Variations in village development are not directly proportional to improvements in agricultural technology except when organizational initiative is high; equity in wealth is high; equity in land distribution is high; and organizational initiative is high and wealth distribution is equitable. (4) In general there is no relationship between the degree of fatalism in a village"s attitude and the degree of village development. However, where feelings of personal efficacy are expressed, village development is usually high if organizational initiative is high and land and wealth distribution is equitable. (5) Level of education is directly proportional to village development when organizational initiative is high and land distribution is equitable. Illustrative tables are included.