村里制度雖然是台灣施行地方自治時的重要創舉之一，但由於組織與功能未能配合時代轉變，以致今日正面臨功能逐漸萎縮，或是受到政治力量的不當干預。本文內容首先在於從村里制度的發展沿革，釐清現行村里制度的意涵，其次再從現代地方政府管理的結構與功能層面，探討村里問題的困境，最後則分別從理論與實務角度提出策略建議。筆者主張今日村里問題的解決不應侷限於「存/廢」、「集權/分權」的爭議中，而是應該基於定位與目標的重新凝聚共識，逐步建構村里組織並賦予適當的功能型式，如此方能在可行的基礎上，務實地解決當前的村里問題。

Though village and basic local units have long history of local institution in Taiwan， but they also seems to be ignored and received little attentlOn.
The aim of this study will try to clarify the characters and relations of village and basic local units and redefine their relations with other local governments. By the way， according to the Bottom-Up idea of grass-roots democracy， it will be necessary to redefine the functions of village and basic local units in order to upgrade welfare of local society and people.