Institutional Model of Decentralization in Action

Date: December 2011
Type: Papers and Briefs
Country:
Subject:
Governance and public sector management
Series: Economics Working Papers

Description

Applying the Institutional Model of Decentralization, Iwan J. Azis argues that the presumption that local democracy will impose accountability pressure on elected officials does not always hold. Even in a democratic system like in Indonesia, decentralization policy is welfare-enhancing only for the developed regions, not for all, exacerbating interregional welfare disparity. This “captured democracy” is largely due to the presence of “negative local capture”. Where welfare has not improved, limited participation, low initial welfare combined with poor quality of local leaders are found to be the most critical determinants.

Contents

  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Evidence From Indonesia’s Decentralization
  • Survey Method
  • Indonesia’s Decentralization and Survey Results
  • Concluding Remarks
  • References