With declining federal revenues, state governments are facing budgetary constraints that restrict the finances of local governments. The states' answer to requests of local governments for aid has been to encourage neighboring communities to join in regional efforts so as to economize in providing services. Some states have gone as far as to develop programs of economic incentives and disincentives that induce regional cooperation.

This dissertation is based on the premise that state efforts to foster sub-state regional cooperation have been largely ineffective because of an "analysis gap" that restricts the scope of the inquiry to rational, economic considerations only. The intent of the examination is to broaden the arena of analysis by showing that a holistic approach is needed that takes into consideration the many other diverse factors that influence regional cooperation. The study applies Carl Jung's theory of archetypes to a subject community for purposes of showing how the analysis arena can be broadened and how practical strategies for attaining regional cooperation can be developed.