As an example, the British government spends 18 million pounds per year to support the Pitcairn Island settlement. Likewise the US spends tens of millions of dollars to support rural settlements in Alaska and Russia spends enormous amounts of money on keeping up the Kamchatka Krai.

The struggling rural regions obviously lack a considerable number of voters, so I can't imagine them having a significant lobby in the government. So what's the point of spending so much money on them? Couldn't the government simply relocate people to the mainland and convert the region into a natural park?

As an example, the British government has spent 18 million pounds over six years to support the Pitcairn Island settlement. Likewise the US spends tens of millions of dollars to support rural settlements in Alaska and Russia spends enormous amounts of money on keeping up the Kamchatka Krai.

The struggling rural regions obviously lack a considerable number of voters, so I can't imagine them having a significant lobby in the government. So what's the point of spending so much money on them? Couldn't the government simply relocate people to the mainland and convert the region into a natural park?