Suchergebnisse

This paper looks at the role of local governement in relation to income maintenance in Britain arguing that, after a period in which it seemed only to be left with residual issues consequent upon the abolition of the Poor Law, it has begun to be drawn back into playing a crucial role in the imple mentation of some of the most difficult and controversial parts of the system of means tests. Whilst in many other policy areas local government's role is being restricted, in income maintenance it is growing but not in conditions of its own choosing.

As many countries around the world grapple with political and market reform, lively debate is growing around questions concerning the conditions under which decentralization policies are called for, which policies and strategies work, and how transferable they are. This timely study looks closely at the possibilities for and limitations of decentralization in industrialized, developing, and former Eastern bloc countries. Of particular interest is Part One of the book, which concentrates on an in-depth analysis of decentralization developments in the new democracies of Central and Eastern Europe. Under the themes of (a) political and administrative development, (b) governance and services, (c) services and revenues, and (d) urban and regional dimensions, the book traces the decentralization experiences of the developing countries, the countries of the former USSR and Eastern Europe, as well as OECD countries. The first such comprehensive study of these issues, this volume also boasts several contributions by ministers and senior officials in charge of local reforms in their respective countries. This timely and important look at current developments in decentralization will be of great interest to students of decentralization, regional development, and the transition from centralized to market economies, and to those responsible for creating and implementing the relevant policy

Traditionally, empirical assessment of local government financial autonomy has concentrated on the different income sources available to local governments. In this article we extend such evaluation to the expenditure autonomy side and combine these two dimensions of autonomy into a comprehensive evaluation of local government financial autonomy. The operationalization of financial autonomy offers a basis for an evaluation of the consistency of central government policy towards local governments. Our approach is then used for a comparison of two countries — Finland and Poland. Points for practitioners Key implications in our approach are the systematic evaluation of both income and expenditure autonomy of local governments, and combining these two dimensions of autonomy into a comprehensive evaluation of local government financial autonomy. The measurement of financial autonomy which is developed can be used as a management tool in central government policy towards local governments.

Das Problem der Verteilung von Macht und Einfluß zwischen Zentralregierung und Gebietskörperschaften in Litauen wird durch wirtschaftliche Probleme verschärft. Statt im Zuge der beabsichtigten postkommunistischen Dezentralisierung den Handlungsspielraum der Kommunen zu erweitern, schränkten Parlament und Regierung die Befugnisse der Kommunen weiter ein und konzentrierten die Macht auf der zwischengeschalteten Ebene der Regionalgouverneure. Der Unmut der Kreise und Kommunen entzündete sich vor allem am System der Steuererhebung, der schwindenden Kontrolle der Kommunen über die Besteuerung sowie an Verzögerungen bei der Zuweisung zentraler Mittel. Vor allem durch die Ansiedlung der Kompetenz zur Verwaltung öffentlicher Grundstücke bei den Regionalgouverneuren wurden die Einnahmen einiger Kommunen fast halbiert. Die gewählten Gebietskörperschaften sehen die kommunale Selbstverwaltung durch die Machtkonzentration auf regionaler Ebene ad absurdum geführt. (BIOst-Wpt)

In this article, I analyze how the structure of the Chinese state affects the probability that local cadres will comply with the directives of the center. Because the Chinese state consists of a five-level hierarchy of dyadic principal-agent relationships, the existence of even moderate levels of routine incompetence & noise ensures that compliance will be less than perfect due to simple error. Moreover, because the center cannot perfectly differentiate between simple incompetence & willful disobedience, the structure of the state enables cadres to engage in strategic disobedience. I thus conclude that the complexity of the linkages between center & locality are a major factor in the observed persistence of corruption & institutional malfeasance. 4 Figures, 15 References. Adapted from the source document.

To expand on the themes identified by Tomas Hachard's paper 'Capacity, voice and opportunity: advancing municipal engagement in Canadian federal relations', the Journal commissioned six personal 'perspectives' from a diverse group of other Commonwealth countries – Australia, India, New Zealand, Nigeria, South Africa and the United Kingdom (UK). This replicated the model adopted in Issue 26 for Zack Taylor's paper on 'Regionalism from above: intergovernmental relations in Canadian metropolitan governance'. Similarly, the purpose was to establish a broader picture of issues and trends across the Commonwealth, rather than 'review' Hachard's work.

Intro -- Acknowledgements -- Contents -- Abbreviations -- List of Figures -- 1 Introduction -- The Arrival of a New Donor -- Methodological Overview -- Book Outline -- 2 Setting the Stage for Research: Theoretical Approaches to Development -- Contribution to the Field -- 3 The "Development" Paradigm: Official Development Assistance and DAC -- Origins of Foreign Aid -- Literature on Kazakh Aid: How It Has Been Approached So Far -- 4 Kazakhstan as a Humanitarian Aid Donor -- Kazakhstan as a Development Aid Partner -- Key Features and Characteristics of Kazakh Aid -- The Domestic Context and Interests of Stakeholders: The Drafting of the Law on ODA -- 5 New Actors Through Old Lenses? -- The Soviet Modernization Project: Education -- The Educational Legacy: Soviet Higher and Professional Education -- The Soviet Style Women Emancipation -- Why Soviet History Matters for Kazakhstan's Aid Policy -- 6 In the Colonial Matrix of Power: The Aftermath of the Soviet Collapse -- International Factors -- 7 Conclusion -- Selected Notes and Meanings -- Archival Documents -- Bibliography -- Index.

1. The sources, structure and scope of local legislation -- 2. The context and content of local bill promotion -- 3. Passing the bill : formalities and financing -- 4. Public law and private initiative : the wider context of local legislation -- 5. The texts and technicalities of local legislation -- 6. The powers and purposes of local legislation -- 7. Conclusion.