The “Comprehensive village renewal programme in Burgenland” as a means a strengthening the social capital in rural areas

In this paper, the results of the study of the comprehensive village renewal programme in Burgenland are considered in the light of the concept of social capital. Changes to the social structures and demographic changes have a strong impact on the formation of social capital in the villages and are therefore a central challenge facing the policies of the municipalities. An objective in the further development of the programme for comprehensive village renewal is to strengthen the local and regional social capital. The implementation of participative village renewal processes has the potential for increasing social capital in the villages, but certain conditions need to be in place for this. The paper analyses and discusses how the programme has contributed to date to the formation of social capital, what opportunities the municipalities have and what instruments they will need in future to build up the social capital that is crucial to sustainable village development.