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アジア ノ チホウ ブ ンケン チホウ ブンケン ワ バンノウヤクカ

Decentralization in Asia : Can Decentralization Be a Cure-all?

国際協力論集

15(2)

21-31

神戸大学大学院国際協力研究科

2007-11

2008-02-28

Improving local governance and promoting decentralization are now important parts of the purpose of ODA. Japanese ODA for instance, has now included these components. However, promoting decentralization may bring unwanted results. This paper will analyze the reasons of promoting decentralization and possible failures by putting decentralization into three categories. Politically-motivated promotion of decentralization wants more autonomous local government by introducing direct election of governors and mayors, giving more power to local assembly, etc. It aims to expand democracy at the local levels. However, decentralization may bring undemocratic results, such as marginalizing the minority by the majority of local people. Financially-motivated promotion of decentralization wants financial autonomy of local government. It argues that the centralized financial system is the reason for inefficiency and corruption. However, it may neglect the possible corruption and inefficient resource use in local government when the power was given to local government. Administratively-motivated promotion of decentralization demands giving more autonomy to local government (or branches of central government) to reflect the local demand. It may improve the public service delivery but may not bring democracy and even sustain an undemocratic regime by slight improvement. Studies in public finance on decentralization also have some problems because they give too much weight on successful cases and forget the conditions, which lay under those cases. Improvement of public services, such as education or sanitation, through decentralization reform can be reached only when local people have already demanded the results. Japanese delayed decentralization is, however, an alternative case for Asian countries if they want to decentralize. If they want to keep large scale financial transfer from the central government to local government, Japan is the most important example. Decentralization policy or policy in general is not for copying, but for picking up good points and mixing it with local context.

紀要論文