Does decentralization increase government responsiveness to local needs? Evidence from Bolivia

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Faguet, JP
• 署名单位: University of London; London School Economics & Political Science; University of London; London School Economics & Political Science
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/S0047-2727(02)00185-8
• 发表日期: 2004
• 页码: 867-893
• 关键词: decentralization; local government; PARTICIPATION; targeting; Bolivia

摘要

This paper examines whether decentralization increases the responsiveness of public investment to local needs using a unique database from Bolivia. Empirical tests show that investment patterns in human capital and social services changed significantly after decentralization. These changes are strongly and positively related to objective indicators of need. Nationally, these changes were driven by the smallest, poorest municipalities investing devolved funds in their highest-priority projects. The findings contradict common claims that local government is too corrupt, institutionally weak, or prone to interest-group capture to improve upon central government's allocation of public resources. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier B.V.