ABSTRACT
Despite the impressive expansion of employment in the rural South in the 1970s, at the beginning of the 1980s, nonmetropolitan areas of the sunbelt found themselves in very vulnerable economic positions. The rural South faces a very uncertain future. During the decade of the 1970s, the occupational and industrial fabric of the rural South underwent a profound transformation. In light of the economic crisis feeing the rural South, it is useful to explore various policy scenarios that could be adopted to guide future economic development activities in the region. Despite numerous and varied criticisms of the de facto industrial policy approach, there are several compelling reasons why this approach might remain the primary vehicle for rural economic development in the South. Several industrial policy agendas, many organized around die role states can play, have already been put forth by various groups and individuals concerned with economic development in the rural South.
