Decentralization and the Provision of Public Services : Framework and Implementation
This paper discusses decentralization (administrative, fiscal and political) of government in public service provision. It aims to facilitate understanding among practitioners, policy makers, and scholars about what decentralization entails in pra...
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| Format: | Policy Research Working Paper |
| Language: | English |
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World Bank, Washington, DC
2012
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2008/02/9395767/decentralization-provision-public-services-framework-implementation http://hdl.handle.net/10986/6708 |
| Summary: | This paper discusses decentralization
(administrative, fiscal and political) of government in
public service provision. It aims to facilitate
understanding among practitioners, policy makers, and
scholars about what decentralization entails in practice
compared to theory. A review of the empirical literature
and experience of decentralization is presented. The paper
highlights issues that policy makers in developing and
transitional countries should be aware of when reforming
government, considering their unique political and economic
environment. The author argues that decentralization
produces efficiency gains stemming from inter-jurisdictional
competition, enhanced checks and balances over the
government through voting at the subnational level, and
informational advantages due to proximity to citizens. By
contrast, arguments against decentralization include the
risk of an increased level of corruption, coordination
problems stemming from multiple layers of government, low
capacity of subnational government, and unproductive
inter-jurisdictional competition. Decentralization itself
does not render increased government effectiveness in public
service provision. Instead, the effectiveness of government
largely depends on the quality of human capital and institutions. |
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