From Micro-Soft to Macro-Hard: A Local Foundation for Participatory Governance

Policy paper

Abstract

The raising demand for devolved local government has come as part of the broader process of democratic changes and market reforms in Georgia. The rationale for democratic local government is that power over the production and delivery of goods and services should be rendered to the lowest units capable of capturing the associated costs and benefits. In other words, local government is about bringing governance closer to people. Therefore, enhanced participation is one of the most important aspects local government.

Local government is emerging institution in Georgia. First elections of local councils occurred in November 1998. The institution has been developing in the environment of flourishing corruption, distrust and clientelism inherited from the Soviet system. The paper argues that one of the main obstacles for the highly performing local government is a very low level of citizens' involvement in local governance processes. The reason is that copied institutions of the Western competitive democracy cannot ensure adequate participation of the organized interests at the localities.

The paper argues that public participation helps to fulfill the major objectives of facilitating democratization and of improving efficiency in service provision. To enhance participation an integrated approach should be adopted which consists of the following components: (1) deconstruction of the existing policy networks - empowering local governments by granting them more financial and political autonomy; (2) empowering civic associations by promoting their autonomy from governments and responsiveness to citizens; (3) building up new networks: introducing participatory institutions that supplement traditional institutions of local democracy.

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