Rational and Objectives for Decentralisation
Why Decentralisation? Rationale and objectives, expectations
Decentralisation is not just an end by itself but a means to improve the state’s capacity to cope with its various tasks and functions indispensable for development. Although priorities may differ, decentralisation processes are guided by a variety of goals and expectations which are not always explicit. In the end, the success of decentralisation, local governance, democratisation and supporting interventions in this field will be measured by looking at whether the decentralisation process, the resulting local institutions and (democratic) processes and the support did indeed contribute to meeting these expectations and achieving the set rationale and objectives. The expectations and objectives therefore are the guiding lines when conceptualising and evaluating support to decentralisation, local governance and democratisation.
Three main groups of expectations can be distinguished:
