Appalachian Kentucky's low rates of labor utilization were the result of underinvestment in human capital and unequal distribution of marketable skills. Large proportions of growth in employment have been absorbed by returned workers, young adults who otherwise would have left the region, and in-movers. Unbalanced labor utilization made the…

This study explores the proposition that, in less-developed rural areas, employers who provide greater employment opportunities for better educated persons might help communities break out of the vicious spiral caused by poverty-creating inefficiency in the use of public resources. Three hypothesis are advanced: (1) that, if good and extensive…

Public investment in technical assistance to limited-resource farmers may be completely consistent with hard-headed taxpayer self-interest, because such investment provides a way for the impoverished to raise their incomes so they will no longer draw public-assistance benefits and will contribute more to financing public services by paying…

The paper explores whether the taxpaying public and limited-resource farm families who receive public welfare assistance to supplement meager farm incomes would be better off if some of these welfare funds were used to help the farmers help themselves by more efficient and profitable use of their farm resources. Data from an eastern Kentucky…