Intergovernmental Relationships, Decentralization and Local Governance

Russian Presentation

Dr. Louis A. PicardProfessor of Public and International Affairsand African StudiesGraduate School of Public and International AffairsUniversity of PittsburghPittsburgh, PA 15260USA

Questions: End of Discussion

1. What major historical factors appear to have defined Governance, Local Government and Civil Society in Russia

2. What factors are unique and different in Russia from Europe and international experiences

3.To what extent is society and culture important at the "country,“ regional and local level?

Theme

The Nature of Intergovernmental Relationships

German Intergovernmental Relations

Overview: Historical Patterns of Relations

AT ISSUE - Location of ultimate power and Responsibility

Definition of Power:

The authoritative allocation of values

Balance: Leadership, Authority and Choice

Symbolism, Power and AuthorityLeadership as Image

Authority

Authoritarian States

Types of Democracy

South African Kgotla

Direct Democracy-

Actual direct participation of a population in decision-making about laws, customs and regulations

Or “Panchayat in India”Town hall or village model

TYPES OF INTER-GOVERNMENTAL AND INTER-ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONS

Confederation and loose con-federal relationships

The Articles of ConfederationThe Articles of Confederation, drafted in 1777 by the Continental Congress, served as the first Constitution of the United States.

Confederation RelationshipsPower lies with the sub-units

U.S. Articles of Confederation Canadian Federation European Union Southern African Development

Council Economic Council of West African

States ASEAN Mercusor

Federalism

Concept: Can Transfer additional authority back to the sub-units but not take power away from the federated governments (Provinces, states)

Principal: Divided Soveregnty

Federal SystemsIn Federal Relationship

• Some power lies with the National Unit

• Some power lies with lower units

• Layer Cake

Governance as a cake

Layers of Government Intertwined

Federal Powers

Unique or Exclusive Powers- Federal and State

Concurrent Powers- Federal and State

Devolved Powers- State and Local

Denied Authority

Federal Systems

Key Distinction:

1. Lower units cannot break away from the National Unit

2. National Units cannot take power away from the lower units

3. Divided Sovereignty

Federalism: Examples:

USACanadaGermany NigeriaIndiaRussian FederationAustriaSwitzerlandMalaysia

Federal Relationships

Indian States

Indian Inter-Governmental Relations

Unitary Systems and Sub-regional units

1. All power ultimately lies at the national level

2. What power the local level has, is given to it by the national level

3. The power that the national unit has given to the local level can also be taken away from it

Unitary Government

Unitary Systems- Examples

United Kingdom France Hungary Kenya Japan South Africa? (Unitary or Quasi-

Federal) Bolivia China? Palestine? Indonesia Sweden

Subsidiarity: European Union Term

Subsidiarity is the idea that matters should be handled by the smallest (or, the lowest) competent government authority possible.

It is presently best known as a fundamental principle of European Union Law. According to this principle, the EU may only act (i.e. make laws) where member states agree that action of individual countries (or local governments) is insufficient.

Subsidiarity has become a principle of public sector reform in LDCs

Subsidiarity: Summary

Concept: Transfer of authority to a lower level of government

Primary Unit of Government: Lowest level that carries a bureaucracy with it

Alternative Social Service Delivery SystemsDebated- eg. Health in USA

Models of Subsidiarity: Review

Devolution: Federal or Unitary (Political)

Deconcentration (Administrative)

Delegation (Special Unit- PAT)

Privatization (Contracting Out)

Program and Project Deconcentration: Principal Agency Issue)

Intergovernmental Relationships

Basic Assumptions

Devolution

Transfer to a non-Federal political body

e.g. Budget and personal authority to district and town councils

Key- power lies with lower level politicians

Evolving Devolution towards Federalism?

Deconcentration:

Transfer of authority to administrators at lower level within the administrative system

Deconcentration:

Functional vs. Prefectoral

Prefectoral integrated

Prefectoral unintegrated

French Prefect Jura RegionAissa Dermouche (Appointed “Governor”)

Control Systems

Home Affairs Local Govt.

Council

Labor

DistrictLaborOffice

Education

District Ed.Office

Agriculture

District Ag.Office

Public Works

Public WorksOffice

Functional

Control Systems

Interior Local Govt. Public Works Agriculture Education Labor

Council/Chief

Prefectoral - Integrated

DistrictOffice

DistrictLaborOffice

District Ed.Office

District Ag.Office

Public WorksOffice

Control Systems

Local Govt.

Council/Chief

Prefectoral - Unintegrated

Police

Police

Interior Labor

DistrictLaborOffice

Education

District Ed.Office

Agriculture

District Ag.Office

Public Works

Public WorksOffice

DistrictOffice

Delegation

Transfer Function Outside of line Departments

Use of Board

Commercialization

Delegation

Delegation

Transfer of authority to a statutory body such as Public Corporations or parastatals (UK)

Eg. AMTRAK in USA

Privatization

Transfer function out of government sector

More than Contracting Out

Principles of Privatization

Key Conditionality- Privatization of the economy within a context of administrative Reform

Principles of Privatization

a. divestiture (full sale)

b. contracting out

c. liquidation

d. sell off public private partnership shares

The View from the 1980s

Principles of Privatization

Goal: Small government and return to the recurrent budgeting process and balanced budget principles of “Neo-Orthodox Economists”

Fiscal Crisis has both called this into question and supported very small government

Programs and Projects

Program and Project Deconcentration: (Principal Agency Issue)

Assymetric Relationships

Prone to Patron-Clientalism

Asymmetric interests when a principal hires an agent

Program and Project Decentralization:

1. Sectoral - By regular line or agency within a Ministry

E.g. Focused activity - seed production (Green Revolution)

Agricultural experiments

Indian Department of Agriculture

Program and Project Decentralization:

2. Deconcentration or Devolution of authority to central level special unit

eg. Transport, water, health or education projects to subordinate administrative or structures (Education Service)

PAT (Port Authority Transport) Buses in Pittsburgh

Program and Project Decentralization:

3. Inter-Ministerial Committees or Units

Planning supervision

Overlapping memberships, e.g. Land Use Planning

Land Use Plan- Germany

Program and Project Decentralization:

4.Creation of field level Special Project Units with semi-

autonomous status (Special designated geographical areas)

Program and Project Decentralization: Project Decent.

E.g. A Range management project; or

Integrated Rural Development - Most well known type of special project

Multitude of project activity in different sectors that may overlap or compliment.

Rural Socio-Economic Enhancement Scheme

2.1 Integrated Rural Development 2.2Small Irrigation Schemes Development2.3Integrated Farming Systems Development2.4Revobue Multipurpose Dam2.5New Cash Crops Establishment2.6Livestock Development2.7Farmers' Associations Promotion2.8Grain Storage Development2.9District Water Supply2.10Rural Electrification2.11Mineral Resources Exploration

Questions and Discussion

1. What major historical factors appear to have defined Governance, Local Government and Civil Society in Russia

2. What factors are unique and different in Russia from Europe and international experiences

3.To what extent is society and culture important at the "country,“ regional and local level?