GRASS-ROOTS ORGANIZATIONS AND NGOS IN RURAL-DEVELOPMENT - OPPORTUNITIES WITH DIMINISHING STATES AND EXPANDING MARKETS

This article undertakes to deal systematically with nongovernment orga nizations (NGOs) and grassroots organizations (GROs), usually treated as a residual category. Ten levels for development decision making and action are identified in the tradition of central place theory. Three of these are considered ''local'' or ''grassroots- because of their c ollective action possibilities. Then, three sectors are delineated, in stead of the usual two. NGOs are part of the collective action sector which differs from the public and private sectors in theoretically con sistent ways A careful distinction is made between institutions and or ganizations, usually conflated in the literature. Examples of accelera ted rural development through grassroots organizations and NGOs are di scussed from Asia, Africa, and Latin America.