Looking beyond conventional intergovernmental fiscal frameworks: Principles, realities, and neglected issues

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapter

Abstract

Fiscal decentralization and intergovernmental fiscal relations reform have become nearly ubiquitous in developing countries. Performance, however, has often been disappointing in terms of both policy formulation and outcomes. The dynamics underlying these results have been poorly researched. Available literature focuses heavily on policy and institutional design concerns framed by public finance, fiscal federalism, and public management principles. The literature tends to explain unsatisfactory outcomes largely as a result of some combination of flawed design and management of intergovernmental fiscal systems, insufficient capacity, and lack of political will. These factors are important, but there is room to broaden the analysis in at least two potentially valuable ways. First, much can be learned by more robustly examining how national and local political and bureaucratic forces shape the policy space, providing opportunities for and placing constraints on effective and sustainable reform. Second, the analysis would benefit from moving beyond design to considering how to implement reform more strategically.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationCentral and Local Government Relations in Asia
Subtitle of host publicationAchieving Fiscal Sustainability
PublisherEdward Elgar Publishing Ltd.
Pages64-99
Number of pages36
ISBN (Electronic)9781786436870
ISBN (Print)9781786436863
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 1 2017

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General Economics, Econometrics and Finance
  • General Business, Management and Accounting

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