The research covers the socio-economic aspects of rural development in the context of decentralisation of governance, specific features of rural livelihoods and capacity design for development. The purpose of the study – to analyse the state and outline the prospects of social development of the village under decentralisation of power. The study used dialectical methods of cognition of processes and phenomena, monographic (analysis of social infrastructure), empirical (comprehensive assessment of the current state of the object of study), abstract and logical (theoretical generalisation and conclusions). During the study and analysis of the social development of the village, the essence of its current state is exposed, the reasons for the abandonment of most villages are characterised, and significant factors that will significantly contribute to the elimination of existing disadvantages and miscalculations in the social development of the village are identified. Theoretical and practical provisions for the social development of the village on a new innovative foundation were further developed. The problem of rural development is examined by considering both economic and social factors in their dialectical combination and interrelation. The establishment of new agglomerations was determined as a promising area of social development in the village. Specific factors of social development of the village that can threaten both its existence and the preservation and reproduction of human capital are identified and analysed. The ways to solve the existing problem in conditions of decentralisation of power were identified
