Evolution of directions of public intervention in rural areas - from agricultural development to smart development of rural areas - theoretical approach

The aim of the following study is to analyze the composition of the main directions of public intervention in relation to rural areas. In the following work, the author tried to answer the following research questions: How is rural development defined? What are the most important paradigms of rural development and what are their characteristics? How have the directions of public intervention changed in relation to the countryside? What is the importance of agriculture for rural development? What are the functions of rural areas? What are the assumptions of the nascent paradigm of smart rural development? Literature review allowed to indicate the main concepts of rural development, which are: agricultural development, multifunctional development of agriculture, multifunctional rural development, sustainable rural development, integrated rural development and smart rural development. In the articles the main assumptions of the indicated concept were indicated. The new concept of rural development – smart rural development – is based in many parts on old concepts but figured that implementation of new technologies and ICT in economic, social and environmental sphere is necessary if the rural area want to develop.