Ensuring Equivalent Living Conditions: Project-based Lessons from Germany’s Rural Revitalization and Urban-Rural Gap Reduction
Abstract：
This paper takes Germany as a case study to systematically analyse the evolution of urban-rural socio-spatial relations and their regulatory mechanisms since the beginning of the 20th century. Driven by industrialization and urbanization, the urban-rural relationship in Germany has undergone profound transformations in both form and function, showing characteristics of intertwined factors and spatial hybridity, while also exhibiting a clear trend of socio-spatial polarization. However, compared with most European countries, Germany’s urban-rural disparities have remained at a relatively low level overall. This is closely linked to its polycentric spatial structure and its long-standing policy orientation of “ensuring equivalentliving conditions.” The paper analyses this issue from two perspectives: regional planning and practical projects. On the one hand, regional planning, by constructing a multi-level centre system and spatial development frameworks, provides institutional support for balanced urban-rural development, although its regulatory effect has certain limitations. On the other hand, in recent years, rural revitalization projects characterized by multi-level fiscal support, participation of socially innovative actors, and diverse implementation approaches have played a more direct role in narrowing the urban-rural gap. The study shows that Germany, by combining policy-guided principles with coordinated actions among multiple stakeholders, has formed a development pathway that offers valuable insights for achieving balance in urban-rural socio-spatial relations.