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ABSTRACTIn federal political systems such as the United States, there has long existed a view that citizens should be more politically competent at the local level than at the federal level of government. Recent studies have challenged this view. This article argues that these findings may reflect only one part of the broader picture. Through a review of two recent studies, I contend that research in this realm must consider more than only the level of government. Odd as this sounds, assumptions about varying levels of political competence at different levels of government have always been premised on the notion that local-level politics is smaller and less complex than federal-level politics. However, when local politics takes place today against the backdrop of small villages and towns as well as in large cities, these are assumptions that must be reevaluated.

The relationship between different levels of government is one that is continually under review. Policy-makers ensure the expenditure and revenue functions of each tier of government with a view to balancing efficiency, equity and democratic considerations. Over the last decade, the tendency in a number of countries has been to decentralise both expenditure and revenue functions to lower levels of government. Greater autonomy in raising revenues has been given to intermediate and local levels of government. Setting up of local fiscal systems and intergovernmental financial relations involves m

In recent years Italy has moved towards greater devolution of regulatory powers at regional level, in a European context where this dimension becomes increasingly important. This review analyzes first the institutional set-up for multi-level regulation, the specifics of power sharing between the state and the regions, as well as the horizontal and vertical co-ordination mechanisms in place in the country, before turning to the use of policy instruments and regulatory tools in four Italian regions: Veneto, Calabria, Campania and Tuscany.--Publisher's description