SOCIAL-ECONOMIC INEQUALITIES EXISTING AT RURAL LEVEL –SOUTH WEST OLTENIA REGION

Abstract

The article includes a part of a complex research concluded under a larger project and refers to the social – economic inequalities found at South West Oltenia region level, in rural areas. The basic unit of research was the commune and it was used a set of five criteria. The results of the study indicate a large degree of inequality, due to economic and territorial infrastructure criteria. Depending on the importance of the indicators included in each criterion and on the importance of the criterion itself upon the total degree of inequality at rural level, there were proposed measures of reducing those inequalities. The study was finalized by developing complex scenarios for inequality attenuation, depending on the determined situation.

If we look at this region’s situation in a larger context, at national level, we can observe a relatively high inequality degree, with high intervals between minimum and maximum levels which lead us to the conclusion that this region needs more than others firm, rapid and radical measures on all levels of social and economic life, so that development discrepancies do not amplify, but even diminish. This paper was elaborated under the MESAIR Project - Contract no. 92072.3/01.10.2008. Program no. 4 – Partnership in priority domains.