Since 2014
Reconsidering Decentralization in Asia: Introduction to the Special Issue
Asian Review of Public Administration
View Archive Info| Field | Value | |
| Title |
Reconsidering Decentralization in Asia: Introduction to the Special Issue
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| Creator |
Turner, Mark; University of Canberra
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| Subject |
public administration, governance
decentralization |
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| Description |
In recent years, the enthusiasm for decentralization has abated somewhat as citizens, civil society, the private sector and governments have taken stock of the results of decentralization. In many instances, decentralization has not brought the welfare gains predicted in decentralization theory. More efficient, effective and responsive services have not been evident, and in a few instances there have been declines in service delivery performance. Accountability is supposed to be enhanced by decentralization but this has not necessarily occurred as patronage networks have colonized subnational politico-administrative structures. These networks have often worked primarily for the benefit of the patrons and clients and not the citizens in general especially the poor and disadvantaged. There has also been disappointment with the degree of democracy in decentralization. Elections have become almost ubiquitous but other democratic institutions and participatory practices have been slower to emerge leaving citizens feeling themselves to be without voice. Finally, there has been a focus on institutions and their operation at the local level and neglect of the center’s role in decentralization. There has been too little consideration and action on defining what central government agencies should do in a decentralized polity. How far should they be securing compliance, monitoring and helping subnational governments?These emergent problems should not be interpreted as saying that decentralization has failed. Rather, they reflect the growing appreciation of the complexity of decentralization and the difficulty of getting the right balance in central-local relations. The articles in this symposium are part of this wave of reflection and represent some of the recent re-thinking of decentralization and how it can better serve citizens across the Asia-Pacific. They deal with diverse topics and take contrasting analytical approaches but are all indicative of new findings and thinking on central-local relations.
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| Publisher |
Eastern Regional Organization for Public Administration (EROPA)
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| Contributor |
—
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| Date |
2015-10-06
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| Type |
info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion — — |
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| Format |
application/pdf
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| Identifier |
http://journals.sfu.ca/arpa/index.php/arpa/article/view/26
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| Source |
Asian Review of Public Administration; Vol 23, No 1-2 (2012): Public Administration in the Next Decade; 66-68
2094-408X 2094-408X |
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| Language |
eng
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| Relation |
http://journals.sfu.ca/arpa/index.php/arpa/article/view/26/24
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| Coverage |
Asia Pacific region
21st century — |
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| Rights |
Copyright (c) 2015 Mark Turner
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0 |
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