Rural revitalization was the theme of the 1970s, and rural economic stress is the overriding issue of the 1980s. This stress is associated with both cyclical trends and with basic changes in the structure of the rural economy. These cyclical and structural changes affect, and are affected by, the human resource base of rural economies. Prior to the 1970s, the rural unemployment rate was lower than the urban rate. In the 1980s the rural unemployment rate rose more rapidly than the urban rate, peaked at a higher level, and has remained above the urban rate. During the 1960s and 1970s, nonmetro areas shifted from predominantly agricultural to predominantly nonagricultural employment. The current economic structural adjustments in industry are disproportionately affecting low-wage manufacturing in rural areas. Rural America is extremely diverse, and generalizations are difficult to make. For that reason, programs tailored to particular types of rural economies may be more effective than generalized programs. The concentration of adjustment problems in particular geographic areas suggests the need for federal, state, local, and regional cooperative development strategies. (ALL)