Decentralization is the process of dispersing functions, powers, people, or things away from a central location or authority.[1][2] While centralization, especially in government, is widely studied, there is no common definition or understanding of decentralization. The scope of decentralization can vary in part due to the different ways in which it is applied.[3] The concepts of decentralization have been applied to group dynamics and management, private companies and organizations, political science, law and public administration, economics and technology.
History
The word "centralization" came into use in France in 1794 when the leadership of the Directory "Directory (France)") in the post-French Revolution created a new government structure. The word "decentralization" came into use in the 1820s.[4] "Centralization" entered written English in the first third of the century;[5] mentions of decentralization also appear for the first time during these years. In the mid-1800s, Tocqueville would write that the French Revolution began with "a push toward decentralization [...] [but became,] in the end, an extension of centralization."[6] In 1863 retired French bureaucrat Maurice Block wrote an article titled "Decentralization" for a French magazine that reviewed the dynamics of government and bureaucratic centralization and recent French efforts at decentralizing government functions.
The ideas of freedom and decentralization were taken to their logical conclusions over the centuries and by anti-state political activists who called themselves “anarchists,” “libertarians,” and even “decentralists.” Tocqueville was a defender, writing:
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809-1865), influential anarchist theorist,[8][9] wrote: «All my economic ideas as they developed during twenty-five years can be summarized in the words: agro-industrial federation. All my political ideas are reduced to a similar formula: political federation or decentralization.
At the turn of the century, one response to the centralization of economic wealth and political power was a decentralist movement. He blamed large-scale industrial production for destroying middle-class stores and small manufacturers and promoted greater ownership and a return to small-scale living. The decentralist movement attracted Southern Agrarians" such as Robert Penn Warren, as well as Herbert Agar"). Scale*),[12] Murray Bookchin,[13] Dorothy Day,[14] Senator Mark O. Hatfield"),[15] Mildred J. Loomis[16] and Bill Kauffman").[17].
Decentralization strategy
Introduction
Decentralization is the process of dispersing functions, powers, people, or things away from a central location or authority.[1][2] While centralization, especially in government, is widely studied, there is no common definition or understanding of decentralization. The scope of decentralization can vary in part due to the different ways in which it is applied.[3] The concepts of decentralization have been applied to group dynamics and management, private companies and organizations, political science, law and public administration, economics and technology.
History
The word "centralization" came into use in France in 1794 when the leadership of the Directory "Directory (France)") in the post-French Revolution created a new government structure. The word "decentralization" came into use in the 1820s.[4] "Centralization" entered written English in the first third of the century;[5] mentions of decentralization also appear for the first time during these years. In the mid-1800s, Tocqueville would write that the French Revolution began with "a push toward decentralization [...] [but became,] in the end, an extension of centralization."[6] In 1863 retired French bureaucrat Maurice Block wrote an article titled "Decentralization" for a French magazine that reviewed the dynamics of government and bureaucratic centralization and recent French efforts at decentralizing government functions.
The ideas of freedom and decentralization were taken to their logical conclusions over the centuries and by anti-state political activists who called themselves “anarchists,” “libertarians,” and even “decentralists.” Tocqueville was a defender, writing:
Pierre-Joseph Proudhon (1809-1865), influential anarchist theorist,[8][9] wrote: «All my economic ideas as they developed during twenty-five years can be summarized in the words: agro-industrial federation. All my political ideas are reduced to a similar formula: political federation or decentralization.
At the turn of the century, one response to the centralization of economic wealth and political power was a decentralist movement. He blamed large-scale industrial production for destroying middle-class stores and small manufacturers and promoted greater ownership and a return to small-scale living. The decentralist movement attracted Southern Agrarians" such as Robert Penn Warren, as well as Herbert Agar"). Scale*),[12] Murray Bookchin,[13] Dorothy Day,[14] Senator Mark O. Hatfield"),[15] Mildred J. Loomis[16] and Bill Kauffman").[17].
Leopold Kohr"), author of the 1957 book The Breakdown of Nations, known for his statement "When something is wrong, something is too big", was a major influence on E.F. Schumacher, author of the 1973 best-seller Small is Beautiful:Economics As If People Mattered").[18][19] In the following years, several best-selling books promoted decentralization. The Coming of Post-Industrial Society by Daniel Bell discussed the need for decentralization and a "comprehensive review of the government structure to find the size and scope of units", as well as the need to separate functions from current state borders, creating regions based on functions such as water, transportation, education and economy that could have "different overlays" on the map.[20][21] Alvin Toffler published Future Shock (1970) and The Third Wave (1980). Discussing the books in a later interview, Toffler said that centralized, industrial-style bureaucratic planning would be replaced by a more open, democratic, and decentralized style that he called "anticipatory democracy."[22] Futurist John Naisbitt's 1982 book, Megatrends, was on The New York Times Best Seller list for more than two years and sold 14 million copies.[23] Naisbitt describes 10 "megatrends", the fifth of which is from centralization to decentralization.[24] In 1996, David Osborne and Ted Gaebler had a best-seller, Reinventing Government, which proposed decentralist theories of public administration that were labeled "New Public Administration".[25]
Stephen Cummings wrote that decentralization became a "revolutionary megatrend" in the 1980s.[26] In 1983 Diana Conyers asked whether decentralization was the "latest fad" in development administration.[27] The Cornell University project on local government restructuring states that decentralization refers to the "global trend" of delegating responsibilities to regional or local governments.[28] Intergovernmental Relations and Markets: Towards a Post-Welfare Agenda by Robert J. Bennett describes how after World War II governments pursued a centralized policy of “welfare” rights that has now become a policy of “post-welfare” decentralization of an intergovernmental and market nature.
In 1983, "decentralization" was identified as one of the "ten key values" of the Green Movement in the United States.
According to a 1999 United Nations Development Program report:
A decentralized government
In a centralized State, its power is attributed to a central Government, so that local governments act as its agents.
In the case of a decentralized State, greater power is granted to local governments, which allows them to make their own decisions regarding their sphere of competence. The political and governmental orientation that proposes that the various state administration bodies must enjoy regional autonomy.
Characteristics
Contenido
La descentralización refuerza el carácter democrático de un Estado y el principio de participación colaborativo consagrado en numerosas constituciones de la tradición jurídica hispanoamericana.
Forms of decentralization of the State
Decentralization, in short, "can be considered as a social process of transferring powers from the central administration to intermediate and local administrations" and can take various forms:
Although decentralization allows for a quick and timely approach to decision-making, while decongesting a group of functions at the central level, it also gives rise to disproportionate territorial development, makes the true role of the State in society impossible and lays the foundations for the formation of local elites with particular interests, which can threaten the well-being of society.
The issue of decentralization continues to be very controversial and highly complex, so in a development model it may be permissible in some aspects and inadmissible in others. It is necessary to take into account and analyze the specific conditions of each country, without forgetting its identity, its history and its customs.[30].
References
[1] ↑ «Decentralization». The Free Dictionary (en inglés). «To distribute the administrative functions or powers of (a central authority) among several local authorities».: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/decentralization
[2] ↑ Real Academia Española. «descentralización». Diccionario de la lengua española (23.ª edición).: https://dle.rae.es/descentralizar
[3] ↑ UNDP-Gobierno de Alemania, 1999, pp. 1, 3-6. «In fact, a quick review of the literature shows that there is no common definition or understanding of decentralization, although much work has gone into exploring its differing applications.».
[4] ↑ Schmidt, 2007, p. 22.
[5] ↑ Levick, Barbara (1993). Claudius (en inglés). Routledge. p. 81. ISBN 978-0415166195.
[9] ↑ Hamilton, Peter (1995). Emile Durkheim: Critical Assessments. New York: Routledge. p. 79. ISBN 0415110475.
[10] ↑ Proudhon, Pierre-Joseph (2014) [1863]. El principio federativo. Minimal. ISBN 978-8416099825.
[11] ↑ Prentiss, Craig (2008). Debating God's economy: social justice in America on the eve of Vatican II (en inglés) (1.ª edición). Pennsylvania State University Press. p. 43. ISBN 978-0271033419.: https://archive.org/details/debatinggodsecon0000pren
[17] ↑ Kauffman, Bill (2010). Bye bye, Miss American Empire: neighborhood patriots, backcountry rebels, and their underdog crusades to redraw America's political map (en inglés). Chelsea Green Publishing. ISBN 978-1933392806.: https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781933392806
[20] ↑ McCray, W. Patrick (2012). The visioneers: how a group of elite scientists pursued space colonies, nanotechnologies, and a limitless future (en inglés). Princeton University Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-0691139838.: https://archive.org/details/visioneershowgro0000mccr_b5k0
[22] ↑ Toffler, Alvin (1983). Previews & premises: an interview with the author of Future shock and the third wave (en inglés). Black Rose Books. p. 50. ISBN 978-0920057377.: https://archive.org/details/previewspremises00alvi/page/50
[25] ↑ Kamensky, John M. (1996). «Role of the "Reinventing Government" Movement in Federal Management Reform». Public Administration Review (en inglés) 56 (3): 247-255. doi:10.2307/976448.: https://dx.doi.org/10.2307%2F976448
[26] ↑ Cummings, Stephen (2002). Recreating strategy (en inglés). SAGE Publications. p. 157. ISBN 978-0857026514.
[29] ↑ UNDP-Gobierno de Alemania, 1999, pp. 11-12.
[30] ↑ Méndez Delgado y Lloret Feijóo, 2007.
Leopold Kohr"), author of the 1957 book The Breakdown of Nations, known for his statement "When something is wrong, something is too big", was a major influence on E.F. Schumacher, author of the 1973 best-seller Small is Beautiful:Economics As If People Mattered").[18][19] In the following years, several best-selling books promoted decentralization. The Coming of Post-Industrial Society by Daniel Bell discussed the need for decentralization and a "comprehensive review of the government structure to find the size and scope of units", as well as the need to separate functions from current state borders, creating regions based on functions such as water, transportation, education and economy that could have "different overlays" on the map.[20][21] Alvin Toffler published Future Shock (1970) and The Third Wave (1980). Discussing the books in a later interview, Toffler said that centralized, industrial-style bureaucratic planning would be replaced by a more open, democratic, and decentralized style that he called "anticipatory democracy."[22] Futurist John Naisbitt's 1982 book, Megatrends, was on The New York Times Best Seller list for more than two years and sold 14 million copies.[23] Naisbitt describes 10 "megatrends", the fifth of which is from centralization to decentralization.[24] In 1996, David Osborne and Ted Gaebler had a best-seller, Reinventing Government, which proposed decentralist theories of public administration that were labeled "New Public Administration".[25]
Stephen Cummings wrote that decentralization became a "revolutionary megatrend" in the 1980s.[26] In 1983 Diana Conyers asked whether decentralization was the "latest fad" in development administration.[27] The Cornell University project on local government restructuring states that decentralization refers to the "global trend" of delegating responsibilities to regional or local governments.[28] Intergovernmental Relations and Markets: Towards a Post-Welfare Agenda by Robert J. Bennett describes how after World War II governments pursued a centralized policy of “welfare” rights that has now become a policy of “post-welfare” decentralization of an intergovernmental and market nature.
In 1983, "decentralization" was identified as one of the "ten key values" of the Green Movement in the United States.
According to a 1999 United Nations Development Program report:
A decentralized government
In a centralized State, its power is attributed to a central Government, so that local governments act as its agents.
In the case of a decentralized State, greater power is granted to local governments, which allows them to make their own decisions regarding their sphere of competence. The political and governmental orientation that proposes that the various state administration bodies must enjoy regional autonomy.
Characteristics
Contenido
La descentralización refuerza el carácter democrático de un Estado y el principio de participación colaborativo consagrado en numerosas constituciones de la tradición jurídica hispanoamericana.
Forms of decentralization of the State
Decentralization, in short, "can be considered as a social process of transferring powers from the central administration to intermediate and local administrations" and can take various forms:
Although decentralization allows for a quick and timely approach to decision-making, while decongesting a group of functions at the central level, it also gives rise to disproportionate territorial development, makes the true role of the State in society impossible and lays the foundations for the formation of local elites with particular interests, which can threaten the well-being of society.
The issue of decentralization continues to be very controversial and highly complex, so in a development model it may be permissible in some aspects and inadmissible in others. It is necessary to take into account and analyze the specific conditions of each country, without forgetting its identity, its history and its customs.[30].
References
[1] ↑ «Decentralization». The Free Dictionary (en inglés). «To distribute the administrative functions or powers of (a central authority) among several local authorities».: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/decentralization
[2] ↑ Real Academia Española. «descentralización». Diccionario de la lengua española (23.ª edición).: https://dle.rae.es/descentralizar
[3] ↑ UNDP-Gobierno de Alemania, 1999, pp. 1, 3-6. «In fact, a quick review of the literature shows that there is no common definition or understanding of decentralization, although much work has gone into exploring its differing applications.».
[4] ↑ Schmidt, 2007, p. 22.
[5] ↑ Levick, Barbara (1993). Claudius (en inglés). Routledge. p. 81. ISBN 978-0415166195.
[9] ↑ Hamilton, Peter (1995). Emile Durkheim: Critical Assessments. New York: Routledge. p. 79. ISBN 0415110475.
[10] ↑ Proudhon, Pierre-Joseph (2014) [1863]. El principio federativo. Minimal. ISBN 978-8416099825.
[11] ↑ Prentiss, Craig (2008). Debating God's economy: social justice in America on the eve of Vatican II (en inglés) (1.ª edición). Pennsylvania State University Press. p. 43. ISBN 978-0271033419.: https://archive.org/details/debatinggodsecon0000pren
[17] ↑ Kauffman, Bill (2010). Bye bye, Miss American Empire: neighborhood patriots, backcountry rebels, and their underdog crusades to redraw America's political map (en inglés). Chelsea Green Publishing. ISBN 978-1933392806.: https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781933392806
[20] ↑ McCray, W. Patrick (2012). The visioneers: how a group of elite scientists pursued space colonies, nanotechnologies, and a limitless future (en inglés). Princeton University Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-0691139838.: https://archive.org/details/visioneershowgro0000mccr_b5k0
[22] ↑ Toffler, Alvin (1983). Previews & premises: an interview with the author of Future shock and the third wave (en inglés). Black Rose Books. p. 50. ISBN 978-0920057377.: https://archive.org/details/previewspremises00alvi/page/50
[25] ↑ Kamensky, John M. (1996). «Role of the "Reinventing Government" Movement in Federal Management Reform». Public Administration Review (en inglés) 56 (3): 247-255. doi:10.2307/976448.: https://dx.doi.org/10.2307%2F976448
[26] ↑ Cummings, Stephen (2002). Recreating strategy (en inglés). SAGE Publications. p. 157. ISBN 978-0857026514.