Advanced Search
MyIDEAS: Login

Sequencing fiscal decentralization

Contents:

Author Info

  • Bahl, Roy
  • Martinez-Vazquez, Jorge

Abstract

While there is extensive knowledge about how to design fiscal decentralization policies, considerably less is understood about how a decentralization program should be sequenced and implemented. Countries embarking on decentralization often struggle with decisions about the essential components of decentralization, including the order of an introduction of decentralization policies, the number of years necessary to bring a full program on line, and the components of the transition strategy. The authors argue that the sequencing of decentralization policies is an important determinant of its success. The consequences of a poorly sequenced decentralization program can range from minor delays and complications to ineffectiveness and subsequent failing support of decentralization efforts, macroeconomic instability, and fundamental failure in public sector delivery. At a minimum, the strategy of"making it up as we go"will not lead to the same structure of decentralization as will a planned strategy. The paper raises two questions: First, is there an optimal sequencing for decentralization policies and implementation? The answer is that there is, and that following these sequencing rules can reduce the costs and risks of implementing fiscal decentralization. Second, to what extent do countries follow these optimal sequencing rules? The answer is, in general, they do not. The gap between theory and practice is a result of the complexity of sequencing design, which discourages fiscal planners from implementing the full process. In addition, sequencing requires a sustained discipline and vision for its implementation, as well as overcoming pressures from political actors, especially in developing countries.

Download Info

If you experience problems downloading a file, check if you have the proper application to view it first. In case of further problems read the IDEAS help page. Note that these files are not on the IDEAS site. Please be patient as the files may be large.
File URL: http://www-wds.worldbank.org/servlet/WDSContentServer/WDSP/IB/2006/05/05/000016406_20060505110515/Rendered/PDF/wps3914.pdf
Download Restriction: no

Bibliographic Info

Paper provided by The World Bank in its series Policy Research Working Paper Series with number 3914.

as in new window
Length:
Date of creation: 01 May 2006
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:3914

Contact details of provider:
Postal: 1818 H Street, N.W., Washington, DC 20433
Phone: (202) 477-1234
Email:
Web page: http://www.worldbank.org/
More information through EDIRC

Related research

Keywords: Decentralization; Subnational Regional Economics; Economic Theory&Research; Teaching and Learning; Regional Rural Development;

This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

References

References listed on IDEAS
Please report citation or reference errors to , or , if you are the registered author of the cited work, log in to your RePEc Author Service profile, click on "citations" and make appropriate adjustments.:
as in new window
  1. Singh, Nirvikar & Rao, Govinda, 2006. "Political Economy of Federalism in India," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195686937, July.
  2. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Andrey Timofeev, 2005. "Choosing between Centralized and Decentralized Models of Tax Administration," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0502, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
  3. Fisman, Raymond & Gatti, Roberta, 2002. "Decentralization and corruption: evidence across countries," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 83(3), pages 325-345, March.
  4. Davoodi, Hamid & Zou, Heng-fu, 1998. "Fiscal Decentralization and Economic Growth: A Cross-Country Study," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 43(2), pages 244-257, March.
  5. Tao Zhang & Heng-fu Zou, 1997. "Fiscal Decentralization, the Composition of Public Spending, and Regional Growth in India," CEMA Working Papers 521, China Economics and Management Academy, Central University of Finance and Economics.
  6. Anwar Shah, 2008. "Fiscal federalism and macroeconomic governance : for better or for worse?," CEMA Working Papers 584, China Economics and Management Academy, Central University of Finance and Economics.
  7. Martinez-Vazquez, Jorge & McNab, Robert M., 2003. "Fiscal Decentralization and Economic Growth," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 31(9), pages 1597-1616, September.
  8. Yingyi Qian & Barry R. Weingast, 1996. "China's transition to markets: market-preserving federalism, chinese style," Journal of Policy Reform, Taylor and Francis Journals, vol. 1(2), pages 149-185.
  9. Francisco Javier Arz & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2003. "Descentralización en Latinoamérica desde una perspectiva de países pequeños: Bolivia, El Salvador, Ecuador y Nicaragua," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0303, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
  10. Wallace E. Oates, 1999. "An Essay on Fiscal Federalism," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 37(3), pages 1120-1149, September.
  11. Baoyun Qiao & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Yongsheng Xu, 2002. "Growth and Equity Tradeoff in Decentralization Policy: China's Experience," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0216, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
  12. Charles E. McLure, Jr. & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 1998. "Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations in Vietnam," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper9802, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
  13. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2002. "Asymmetric Federalism in Russia: Cure or Poison?," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0304, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
  14. Jameson Boex & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2004. "Developing the institutional framework for intergovernmental fiscal relations in decentralizing LDCs," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0402, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
  15. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2005. "Making Fiscal Decentralization Work in Vietnam," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0513, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
  16. Ole Olesen & N. Petersen, 2003. "Introduction," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 20(3), pages 237-241, November.
Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

Citations

Blog mentions

As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
  1. Sound Public Financial Management Systems are a Key Element to the Successful Fiscal Decentralization Process
    by Blogmaster in Public Financial Management Blog on 2009-05-27 12:00:00
Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
as in new window

Cited by:
  1. HINDRIKS, Jean & LOCKWOOD, Ben, 2005. "Decentralization and electoral accountability: incentives, separation, and voter welfare," CORE Discussion Papers 2005046, Université catholique de Louvain, Center for Operations Research and Econometrics (CORE).
  2. Juan Pablo Valenzuela, 2008. "Análisis descriptivo de la situación financiera de los municipios en Chile," IDB Publications 70098, Inter-American Development Bank.
  3. Nara F. Monkam, 2010. "Mobilising Tax Revenue to Finance Development: The Case for Property Taxation in Francophone Africa," Working Papers 201026, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
  4. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Cristian Sepulveda, 2012. "Toward a More General Theory of Revenue Assignments," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1231, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
  5. Luc Eyraud & Lusine Lusinyan, 2011. "Decentralizing Spending More than Revenue: Does It Hurt Fiscal Performance?," IMF Working Papers 11/226, International Monetary Fund.
  6. Kim, Aehyung, 2008. "Decentralization and the provision of public services : framework and implementation," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4503, The World Bank.
  7. Richard M. Bird, 2012. "Fiscal Decentralization in Colombia: A Work (Still) in Progress," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1223, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
  8. Fock, Achim & Wong, Christine, 2008. "Financing rural development for a harmonious society in China : recent reforms in public finance and their prospects," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4693, The World Bank.
  9. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Juan Luis Gomez & Guevera Yao, 2006. "Fiscal Decentralization in the People’s Democratic Republic of Lao," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0622, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
  10. Kent Eaton & Kai Kaiser & Paul J. Smoke, 2011. "The Political Economy of Decentralization Reforms : Implications for Aid Effectiveness," World Bank Publications, The World Bank, number 2336.
  11. Roy Bahl & Geeta Sethi & Sally Wallace, 2009. "West Bengal: Fiscal Decentralization to Rural Governments: Analysis and Reform Options," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0907, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
  12. Jorge Martinez-Vazquez, 2010. "Municipal Finances in Latin America: Features, Issues, and Prospects," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper1107, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.
  13. Loayza, Norman V. & Rigolini, Jamele & Calvo-Gonzalez, Oscar, 2011. "More than you can handle : decentralization and spending ability of Peruvian municipalities," Policy Research Working Paper Series 5763, The World Bank.
  14. Richard M. Bird & Enid Slack, 2006. "The Role of the Property Tax in Financing Rural Local Governments in Developing Countries," International Tax Program Papers 0608, International Tax Program, Institute for International Business, Joseph L. Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.
  15. Juan Luís Gómez & Jorge Martinez-Vazquez & Cristian Sepúlveda, 2008. "Reigning in Provincial Fiscal 'Owners': Decentralization in Lao P.D.R," International Center for Public Policy Working Paper Series, at AYSPS, GSU paper0830, International Center for Public Policy, Andrew Young School of Policy Studies, Georgia State University.

Lists

This item is not listed on Wikipedia, on a reading list or among the top items on IDEAS.

Statistics

Access and download statistics

Corrections

When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wbk:wbrwps:3914

For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: (Roula I. Yazigi).

If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

If references are entirely missing, you can add them using this form.

If the full references list an item that is present in RePEc, but the system did not link to it, you can help with this form.

If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.