Part i defines terms, to show that the word decentralization can mean many different things. Local actors, powers and accountability in african. It then examines problems which can prevent decentralization from working well. Numeorus approaches to decentralization efforts could be confined to three basic forms. A decade ago, estimates of the number of decentralization experiments ranged from 80 percent of the worlds countries to effectively all of them manor 1999.
Decentralization is complex and encompasses a wide range of elements parker 1995 but evidence from many countries suggests three important conditions are necessary if decentralization is to lead to improved governance manor 1999. Decentralization of schools is a complex process that can result in major changes in the way school systems go about making policy, generating revenues, spending funds, training teachers, designing curricula, and managing local schools. It helps enormously if a country attempting it has had a sustained experience of democracy, but that is not true in most of africa and asia. Even apart from the widely debated issues of subsidiarity and devolution in the european union and states rights in. Cabell, february 2, 1816, in appleby and ball 1999, p. The conference was hosted by the government and parliament of armenia. Each of these can occur in the political economy of democratic decentralization. With the german government having evaluated its own decentralization projects in countries. Promoting good local governance through social funds and. But long before and since, most countries have experienced some form of decentralization.
Penfoldbecerra 1999, but even these studies do not analyze the interactions among the different policies and the consequences of their timing and evolution. Many countries are decentralizing because they believe this can help stimulate economic growth or reduce rural poverty, goals central government. Treisman 2007 and tanzi 2002 assert that decentralization increases opportunities for corruption, while shah 2003 and manor 1999 worry that it can be counterproductive if sub. Definitions and descriptions of decentralization used in the papers include. Decentralization and governance initiative for policy dialogue. Does decentralization increase government responsiveness. Since then, new or deepening reforms have been announced in nations as diverse as bolivia, cambodia, egypt, ethiopia, france, indonesia, japan, mexico, south korea, turkey, and many others.
By now it is safe to say that experiments with, and enthusiasm for, decentralization are essentially ubiquitous acrossthe globe. Indonesia, morocco, pakistan, thailand and tunisia. Ribot, 2002a, most decentralization theorists and policy makers evoke developmentalist arguments contending that the increased efficiency, equity and inclusion that should arise from decentralization result in better and more sustainable management smoke, 2000. Democratic decentralization aims to increase public participation in local decision making. Faguet, 2004 for example, finds that decentralization is associated with greater government responsiveness in bolivia, and faguet and sanchez 2008 find the same for colombia. The undp role in decentralization and local governance ix decentralization process. Democratic decentralization in africa and asia manor. Pacheco and kaimowitz 1998, for example, argue that the lack of municipal action in the forestry sector for nine bolivian municipalities stemmed from limited. Political or democratic decentralization occurs when powers and resources are transferred to authorities representative of and downwardly accountable to local populations manor 1999. Decentralization is not a new concept considering that in the late 1990s approximately 80% of the worlds countries were experimenting with one form or another of decentralization manor, 1999.
Decentralization of governance and development pranab bardhan a ll around the world in matters of governance, decentralization is the rage. Devolution, or democratic decentralization, occurs when resources, power, and often tasks are shifted to lowerlevel authorities who are somewhat independent of higher authorities, and who are at least somewhat democratic manor 1999. Does decentralization increase government responsiveness to. Decentralization may result from political pressures exerted by subnational politicians. Manor 1999 finds evidence that decentralization enhanced the responsiveness of government in the philippines, india and co. Decentralisation is usually referred to as the transfer of powers from central government to lower levels in a politicaladministrative and territorial hierarchy crook and manor 1998, agrawal and ribot 1999.
Any particular form of decentralization can occur in isolation or in combination with another. Few studies have analyzed two or three types of decentralization at the same time e. Sall 1998, manor 1999 and smoke 2001 are slightly more positive, but with caveats about the strength of evidence in decentralizations favor. Balancingruralpovertyreductionand citizenparticipation. And a world bank 1995 case study of colombia shows that satisfaction with government and local services improved notably after decentralization. The concept of decentralization as a developmental strategy has sparked off a renewed interest in institutions of governance in diverse economic and political environments. At the macrolevel of analysis, should be noted that decentralization has both a state and a process dimension. Decentralization is a complex phenomenon involving many geographic entities, societal actors and social sectors. For democratic decentralization to work well, elected bodies at lower levels must have.
This official power transfer can take two main forms. Since the 1980s, decentralization reforms have been adopted in many countries manor, 1999, with significant impact on health system governance. The political economy of democratic decentralization. Democratic decentralization james manor the world bank washington, d.
Chapter 1 situating contested notions of decentralized. Decentralizations effects on education, health and. Studies assessing the general effects of decentralization have generated contradictory evidence. These forms of decentralization can take place simultaneouslyquite often this is the case.
Decentralization or decentralisation see spelling differences is the process by which the activities of an organization, particularly those regarding planning and decision making, are distributed or delegated away from a central, authoritative location or group. Through greater participation, democratic decentralization is believed to help internalize social, economic, devel. Christine kearney december 30, 1999 decentralization index1 this index measures decentralization the assignment of fiscal, political, and administrative responsibilities to lower levels of government2 for 49 countries at fiveyear intervals from 1960 to 1995. Nearly all countries worldwide are now experimenting with decentralization. Analytical framing for this research was provided by manor 1999. Christine kearney december 30,1999 decentralization. This study considers three types of decentralization. Decentralization might be a voluntary choice of politiciansit can increase political stability and economic growth in a way that compensates politicians for any loss of power they may experience in the short run see also manor, 1999. James manor, the political economy of democratic decentralization 1999. An introduction to decentralization failure request pdf. Some focus on its political and economic advantages.
In terms of democratic reform, decentralization advocates assume that bringing the state closer to people allows more public participation in decisionmaking and ensures. Democratic decentralization independent evaluation group. In sherwood 1969s terms, decentralisation as opposed to devolution involve the creation of units of governance under the direct control of central authority. The political economy of democratic decentralization english. For example, decentralization is often associated with democratic reform and the strengthening of civil society diamond 1999. Good summaries of this research can be found in rondinelli, cheema, and nellis 1983, manor 1999, treisman 2007, and faguet. Decentralization and governance initiative for policy. Decisions to decentralize are not made because their usefulness has been proven by facts but because it helps politicians cope with a loss of confidence in the centralized state. Significant powers and responsibilities for local service delivery should be devolved. Even apart from the widely debated issues of subsidiarity and devolution in the european union and states rights in the united states, decentraliza. Democratic decentralization aims to increase public participation in local decisionmaking.
The vast literature on the concept of decentralization offers normative definitions of the term adams, 2002. When is fiscal decentralization good for governance. Decentralization of health and education in developing. Treisman 2007 and tanzi 2002 assert that decentralization increases opportunities for corruption, while shah 2003 and manor 1999 worry that it can be counterproductive if sub national. We follow faguet and sanchez 2008 and manor 1999 in defining decentralization as the devolution by central i. The political economy of democratic decentralization english abstract. For example, some critics, pointing out that moving from region to region tends to be costly, argue that citizens are unlikely to sort themselves geographically by tax and spending preference manor 1999. Pranab bardhan, decentralization of governance and development, 16 j. Decentralization or decentralisation see spelling differences is the process by which the activities of an organization, particularly those regarding planning and decision making, are distributed or delegated away from a central, authoritative location or group concepts of decentralization have been applied to group dynamics and management science in private.
As explained by manor 1999, politicians see decentralization as a way to reconnect their regimes to social groups from which they have become increasingly divorced. The political economy of democratic decentralization by manor, james. Thecontradictionsof ugandasdecentralizationprogram paulfrancisandrobertjames universityofeastanglia,norwich,uk. Since then, further reforms have been announced in countries as diverse as bolivia, cambodia, ethiopia, france.
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