Written by Gerhard Henkel, Translated by Ma Yuan, Proofread by Gan Jing, Qian Lingyan

Keywords： Traditional Villages; Modern Villages; Self-government; Equivalent Living Conditions in Urban and Rural Areas; Spatial Planning; Local Politics; Rural Development; Democracy in Regional Administration

Abstract：

In comparison to traditional villages 200 years ago, modern German villages have changed a lot in appearance, social and economic structure, infrastructure, self-government or autonomy, and lifestyle. However, traditions such as the commitment to the village community, cooperation, mutual assistance, and closeness to nature are preserved. In order to reduce imbalances between regions, a paradigm shift took place in the spatial development planning in the last twenty years: the centralized, standardized concepts that are dictated “from top to bottom” have changed towards endogenous or regionally adapted development. Country and city are of equal importance for the state as a whole and for society. They are dependent on each other and build a community of interests and responsibilities. The balanced coexistence of city and country is still a high national objective in Germany.

Funds：

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