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ประชาธิปไตยไทย: ก้าวย่างเพื่อการพัฒนา

citizens better. According to a World Bank survey, there are more than 60 developing countries

that are experiencing political transitions whose populations over 5 million. They have done
some form of transfer of political power to local governments (Dillinger 1994: 8). However,

the reason for their decentralisation varies between countries (Ford 1998). For example,
in East Asian countries, decentralisation was carried out to improve public services,

while in Latin America, in addition to public services (World Bank 1994; Eaton 2001)
decentralisation emphasized the goal of democratisation (Litvack et al. 1998: 1). Proponents of

decentralisation give the reason that by giving authority from the center to the regions,
the government can increase efficiency, equity, participation and responsiveness of the

government towards its citizens (Agrawal and Ribot 1999).

Decentralisation is seen as having positive aspects (see Smith 1985). First,
decentralisation provides quick responsiveness to the local government to answer the

problems faced by the community. Government officials become closer to their citizens and
are able to listen to the aspirations raised by the citizens. Second, decentralisation is also

believed to increase the accountability of government officials. Citizen access in policy making
becomes more open. Citizens have a great opportunity in the political process so that various

public issues are relatively easier to be included in the policy agenda and political decisions.
The absence of a distance between residents and decision-making officials allows political

equality by each member of the community. So far, only local elites have the opportunity to
have political access with government officials living in the center of power. In addition to the

citizen-government relations in policy making, decentralisation is also closely related to the
local leadership election process. In addition, decentralisation is believed to be an instrument

for the development of political education. Citizens have a wider chance to be elected and
choose their leaders. Strengthening the role of the local government becomes a forum for

political lessons before someone takes part in the national political arena. A person can start
from a leader at the village level, then increase to the district, to the province and finally to

the national level.

There are many forms of decentralisation that have been adopted by many countries.

The term decentralisation generally refers to ‘reversing the concentration of administration

at a single centre and conferring powers of local government’ (Smith 1985: 1) or ‘the process
of devolving political, fiscal and administrative powers to subnational units of government’
(Burki et al. 1999: 3). Rondinelli and Nellis (1986: 5) define decentralisation in a broader term as: