The biggest problem in the "New Socialist Countryside" is just that – it is still pretty socialist. Yes, rural folk have taken great strides forward in recent years, and things are much better than they were in the past. Small businesses are a big reason behind that. Because it has become so easy to open a small shop or restaurant, the countryside is doing much better. But there’s nothing socialist about owning a private business.
The next step is clear: ownership of the land itself. This would be a benefit to everyone, but especially to those who work the land, and who therefore currently own nothing. In the cities, people can buy and sell apartments, even if they never actually own the physical land underneath them. But their ability to effectively engage in property trading is putting them far above their rural peers. Let the farmers into the game. Let them own their land.
