The Construction and Criticism of Decentralization Theory
Resource
政治科學論叢, 3, 155-183
Journal
政治科學論叢
Journal Issue
3
Pages
155-183
Date Issued
1991-12
Date
1991-12
Author(s)
Chao, Y.M.
Abstract
Since Thomas Jefferson has alleged that the power of central government should be given more restrains, people’s power need enlarged, and the state government also needs to enhance its power to against the federal central government, theory of local autonomy and federalism have been well developed. After that, Joshua J. Smith, Frank J. Goodnow, Herman Finer and L. J. Sharpe have been made a great contribution on the construction and the explanation of decentralization theory, which has been structured a very strongly theoretical basis for the study of decentralization, and was very prosperously developed since 1970. Decentralization theories have absorbed many related theories, such as politics, constitution, sociology and economics, and have constructed the following basic theories: federalism, decentralization, independence and separation, regional autonomy, local democracy, pluralism and constitutionalism, etc., which totally also have been presented a very valuable analytical context. Although decentralization theory has structured a fairly strong theoretical basis, James Fesler, Tom Wilson and L.J. Sharpe all have been strictly criticized on the function and management of local government, the relationship restrains between the boundary of local government and its related external organizations, and the operational limits and predicaments of local government. So that, like centralization theory, decentralization also faces many theoretical contradiction, restrains and dilemma, which still need continuously taking more advanced studies for the purpose of the integration of decentralization theory.
Type
journal article