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The (post)modern economy finds itself undoubtedly in the center of a large scale, deeply contradictory and uncertain current transformation of the world. Together with the (post)modern technologies, it composes the dominant core of the globalizing processes, often referred to as globalization. The key features and especially the accumulated consequences of these processes pose a challenge for scientific and theoretical thought in the form of essential questions and dilemmas which are in the last instance tied to the impact of globalization on the quality and meaning of human life. This problem relates as much to individuals as it does to different social groups and human communities, that is to the entire humanity as such. This paper attempts to problematic these contradictory relationships between global corporative economy as an instrumental value and the human liberty as a substantive that is the highest value in itself (summum bonum), which gives meaning and dignity to human life. Therefore, if economy in one form or another covers most of human practical activity, then it is certain that it can have a decisive impact on the most fundamental value of human life, that is the value of freedom (individual, general; internal and external). Of course, the spectrum of economy can act either way - as an encouragement or as often happens, as a deterrent to expansion of human freedom. This paper aims to briefly indicate some causes, characteristics and consequences of global economic processes which, as it seems paradoxically, contribute more to narrowing than to widening room for human liberty, or they simply generate proliferation of "hedonism of non-freedom". Is this another case of "surplus of knowledge" and "deficit of wisdom" that so strongly characterizes our time or something else?.

For the 1st fifteen years or so there has been an intensive talk about the Irish "economic miracle". Since Irish economy has experienced a highest degree of sustained growth among the EU states in this very period, this observation is an accurate one. The average GDP in this period has constantly been above five percent. The national income per capita rose dramatically to 2700 Euro and is the highest in the EU. The rate of employment is permanently on the increase while (qualified) working force is becoming imported as well. In a very short period of time Ireland has achieved not only an impressive level of economic development, but has also experienced a radical social transformation. From predominantly agrarian and traditionally emigrant country, Ireland had rapidly become a highly developed (post)industrial immigrant society. There is no doubt that the adequate strategy and the politics of rural development had an important role to play in achieving these remarkable results. Regardless of how much this development is conditioned and influenced by the rural development policies of the EU, Irish model still has many authentic features. This paper explores the possibilities of using some of these experiences from the Irish developmental strategies in the context of an integral rural development of Serbia in the period of transition.

When discussing the future of rural areas for rural sociology (which aims at developing a holistic approach), the most important issue is certainly the question of fate of local communities in rural areas. Reviewing the enormous literature on countryside and agriculture, one can notice an overwhelming dominance of articles that focus on the agrarian and economic policy, often written fairly in the form of agro-economic reductionism. The totality of human life in rural communities is often lost in the fragmentary analysis of individual scientific disciplines. That is why there is a lack of knowledge on the meaning and content of (new) rurality, rural relationships, rural values, rural communities, rural ways of life and on integral rural development in conceptual-theoretical as well as in practical-empirical sense. This problem, understandably, affects different aspects of the complex phenomenon of "rurality" in our situation. However, regardless of the evident insufficiency of synthetic knowledge about our countryside as a social community, it is clearly evident that rural areas are in deep crisis. Local communities in the majority of our rural areas are completely marginalised. Great number of these communities are in the process of disintegration and disappearance. They have lost a "spirit of time" and identity and have not acquired a new one. Furthermore, in some rural areas local communities have literally vanished. In other words, it is difficult to find in our society any active rural communities with a clear future prospects. That is why the crucial question for social theory as well as for social practice is: Which are the economic, demographic, technological and especially socio-cultural prerequisites of renewal and development of local communities in the near future? Without their revitalisation there is no development of rural areas and vice versa. In the focus of this renewal there should be an adequate spatial, functional, organic and emotional connection of people living there. In other words, their participation and their self-identification with these communities is a key prerequisite. Although the renewal of our rural communities is an extremely difficult task, filled with many dilemmas, inconsistencies and objective contradictions, it is not unresolvable, at least for one type of these communities. With the well-thought strategy of planning and management of rural development, these processes can be accelerated and channelled in the desired direction. This paper discusses some possible solutions and gives more concrete propositions in relation to this problem.