Church and rural development: A geographical analysis of Elim

Abstract

The pivotal role of the Moravian Church in development in Elim, a mission station situated approximately 170 kilometres southeast of Cape Town, is the central theme of this geographical analysis. The broader debate around Church and rural development serves as a background for this analysis. It is the contention of this thesis that the distinctiveness in the administrative structure of Elim had and will continue to have a profound influence on the development of the settlement. The theory of State, with specific reference to the role of the State in social transformation, is used as a theoretical framework. Acknowledging the vastness of the broader theory of State this thesis focuses on the structure of the State and its capacity to intervene in development. Max Weber's contention of the importance of an efficient bureaucratic structure is used as analytical tool. People are deemed as central to the continuous process of development. The empirical study undertaken expresses the perceptions of the people involved with development in Elim. Both quantitative (questionnaires) and qualitative methods (structured interviews) were used to obtain the relevant data, thus overcoming their respective limitations. The socio-economic context in EIim serves as the background against which the bureaucratic structure operates. This bureaucratic structure distinguishes two levels of government. These are the local government in Eiim and the central government of the Moravian Church in Southern Africa respectively. The inter-relationship between these levels of government is explored Given the theoretical framework within which this study was undertaken, a restructuring of the bureaucratic structure is deemed as the core around which transformation and development in EIim must be undertaken. This should in turn enhance the socio-economic development of the settlement. The question of a reform of land use on the local level is of great importance to future development in Elim. Finally, participation by the people remains the core around which development in Elim should revolve.