Local governance and democracy: main developments and challenges

Question 1

Def. local government

Answer 1

local government is a specific institutions or entities created by various forms of legislation to deliver a range of specific services to a relatively small geographically delineated area

Question 2

def. local governance

Answer 2

local goverannce is the process of formulation and execution of collective action at local level: it encompasses the direct and indrect roles of formal institutions of local government as well as informal norms, networks, community orgnaizations in pursuing collective action

Question 3

local government settings and competences are defined by (5)

Answer 3

national consitutions (Italy), state consitutions (US), ordinary legislation of a higher level of central gov. (UK) , provincial or state legislation (Canada), executive order (China)

Question 4

local gov.’ autonomy from central gov.

Answer 4

often: policy initatives in areas not addressed by another governmental layer, sometimes: restricted by central gov.

Question 5

differences of local government systems (6)

Answer 5

number of tiers of government
level of of autonomy
tasks and competences
size of authorities
political and governance set-up
form of democracy

Question 6

reasons for specific responsibilities can lay in (6)

Answer 6

cost-benefit spillovers
consumer preferences
budgetary choices
economies of scale
economies of scope
proximity to beneficiaries

Question 7

roles and responsibility of local gov. in federal state vs. unitary state

Answer 7

oversight of local public services vs. act on behalf of central gov.

Question 8

allocation of local gov.’ functions in federal state

Answer 8

constution

Question 9

functions of a local gov. in a federal state

Answer 9

more variable (education, law enforcement, local gov.)

Question 10

strengths of local gov. in federal state (5)

Answer 10

provides check and balances
diversity
reduced overloads at the center
offers opportunity for policy ecperiments
increases competition between provinces

Question 11

weaknesses of local gov. in federal states (5)

Answer 11

decision-making is slow, division between provinces, regarding national interst, accountability, inequality

Question 12

characteristics of local gov. (4)

Answer 12

different nature, size, number of units, functions

Question 13

what is regional government in charge of (3)

Answer 13

depending on country: economic development, health, public infrstructure, transport

Question 14

def. centre-periphery relations: dual approach

Answer 14

local gov. is seen as an organization separate from the center -> retains free standing status

Question 15

def. centre-periphery relations: fused system

Answer 15

central and local government are a combined public authority

Question 16

roles and responsibilities of local governance

Answer 16

preserving the life and liberty of local residents
democratic participation and civic dialogue
environmentally sustainable and socially inclusive local development
improve the quality of life

Question 17

democratic challenges with local governance (5)

Answer 17

requires more capacities, re-examination of citizen-state relations, urbanisation, networking, crisis of representative democracy vs. participatory democracy

Question 18

conceptual and analytical challenges of local governance (2)

Answer 18

not well researched, loss of local governments’ responsbility

Question 19

critera for “good governance” (5)

Answer 19

accountability, inclusiveness, effectiveness & efficiency, responsiveness, responsibility

Question 20

def. deconcentration

Answer 20

central government functions are executed by staff in the field

Question 21

def. decentralization

Answer 21

central government functions are executed by subnational authorities

Question 22

def. devolution

Answer 22

central government grants some decision-making functions to lower levels

Question 23

reasons for rescaling government (2)

Answer 23

capacity to formulate and execute policies, increase citizen participation

Question 24

scale enlargement reforms (2)

Answer 24

merging municipalities, municipal amalgamation

Question 25

reasons for decentralisation (5)

Answer 25

demand for local democratic control and autonomy (Eastern Europe), response to conflicts (Indonesia), avoid concentration of power or counterweight opposition (India), symbolic (China), incentives by international organisations

Question 26

size of local governments matters bc. (6)

Answer 26

accountability, political information (better in small), political participation (candidates better in big), policy coordination, economies of scale, transformation of the political landscape

Question 27

forms of local executive

Answer 27

single executive (direcetly elected mayor)
vs.
plural executive (mayor plus executive committee elected indirectly from council, UK)

Question 28

electoral arrangements

Answer 28

ward-based election
vs.
proportional representation

Question 29

how is local government financed?

Answer 29

local revenues (often inadequate), central gov., donor funding, ERDF

Question 30

what is a problem with local gov. funding (2)

Answer 30

expenditure management, transparency

Question 31

central - local relations

Answer 31

overbearing control by centre (monitoring, supervision), lack of understanding

Question 32

special-purpose agencies or bodies

Answer 32

deliver public services on local level (bc. funding isn’t enough) transcending political jurisdiction (e.g. library boards, transit, police commissions)

Question 33

different partnerships (4)

Answer 33

private and quasi private, community partnerships, public-private partnerships

Question 34

problems with special-purpose agencies (4)

Answer 34

accountability, budgetary flexibility, legitimacy, responsiveness