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The figurative opposition between 'town' and 'country' has long been used in British art and literature to express ideas of urban modernity and progress in contrast with pastoral conservatism and tradition. In recent years this division has taken on a more literal and sharply political dimension. Amid supermarket pricing wars, low prices for agricultural produce have been driving down farming incomes for many years, and in this context the losses suffered by farmers during the recent BSE and Foot and Mouth crises have proved catastrophic. The countryside now faces widespread poverty and unemployment with many feeling that the government is doing little to help. Labour's proposed legislation to ban hunting with dogs and the prevailing climate of deep suspicion over farming practices have exacerbated the belief held by many in rural areas that their concerns are being ignored and their rights circumvented by a government and media hostile to their needs. The frustration felt by country-dwellers was clearly voiced in the 'Liberty and Livelihood' march of October 2002, when an estimated 40,000 protesters decended on the capital. Some critics have dismissed the march as essentially a protest about hunting, representing a narrow and specialised interest. Organisers of the march insist, however, that it also had a broader, legitimate social agenda and that it demonstrated the real social and economic problems affecting those who live in Britain's rural areas.
CRISIS IN RURAL SOCIETY?
COUNTRYSIDE ALLIANCE OTHER RURAL PRESSURE GROUPS THE OFFICIAL RESPONSE

Countryside Alliance - the largest and broadest pressure group promoting the rural interest. High on their agenda -in addition to the hunting lobby - are a stronger representation of rural interests in government, an end to the depression of farming incomes, and more governement investment in rural communities and infrastructures.

'The Real Rural Agenda' - video interviews with the Chairman and the Cheif Executive of the Countryside Alliance in which they explain what they see as central government's neglect of rural concerns, and why hunting has become a such a symbolic issue in the tension between town and country.

Liberty and Livelihood march - website for the Liberty and Livelihood march through London that took place on 22 September 2002, sponsored by the Countryside Alliance. Includes photos, newsletters, posters, and car stickers.

NFU Farming Counts Campaign - the NFU's campaign to highlight the 'dire' situation faced by Britain's farmers; their inability to make a profit due to low market prices and their dwindling numbers as the exodus from the countryside continues.

Council for the Protection of Rural England - pressure group concerned with threats to the countryside and rural way of life. Focus is on farming reforms, landscape planning, and the loss of 'tranquil' areas to urban growth.

Farmers for Action - independent lobbying organisation campaigning to raise farmer incomes and increase farmer's representation at the national level.

Rural Stress Information Network - support group for those living in rural areas who are suffering from stress or depression.

Rural White Paper - DEFRA's white paper on rural development, 'A Fair Deal for Rural England'. The government acknowledges there is a crisis in sustainable economies and a decline in infrastructure in the countryside, and outlines the improvements it intends to make.

Policy Commission on the Future of Farming and Food - report (submitted January 2001) commissioned by the government to investigate "how we can create a sustainable, competitive and diverse farming and food sector". The report identifies a feeling of alienation among farmers and recommends ways to 'reconnect' them with their (largely urban) consumer market and a "healthy and attractive countryside".

The Countryside Agency - government sponsored research body investigating the economic, social, and environmental state of the countryside. Includes reaction to the rural white paper, and comment on rural planning policies and social exclusion in the countryside.
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