Increasing Participation in Democratic Institutions Through Decentralization

Empowering Women and Scheduled Castes and Tribes Through Panchayat Raj in Rural India

Bibliographic Data

ID6253244
AuthorsErik Bryld (0000-0001-5367-8155, corresponding author)
Year2001
Volume8
Issue3
Pages149-172
Publication date2001-09-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDemocratization (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1351-0347 • E-ISSN: 1743-890X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/714000213
OpenAlexW1972721340
LanguageEN
Citations received17

In the past decade good governance and decentralization have become two of the main development pillars, relied on by both international development agencies and the authorities in developing countries in the quest for successful development. In India steps have been taken to increase the participation of the weaker sections of society in new arrangements for decentralized local decision-making through rules of reservation. This article discloses the potential and the pitfalls of increasing participation through decentralization by analyzing the Indian Panchayat Raj system. It is shown how technocratic regulations are not sufficient to ensure genuine empowerment for all in democratic decision-making. The question whether decentralization can be justified as one of the main means to development remains to be resolved

Corporate governance · Decentralization · Democracy · Development economics · Economic growth · Economics · Empowerment · Management · Panchayati raj · Political science · Politics · Reservation · Technocracy · Law · Public Administration · Social and Economic Development in India · South Asian Studies and Conflicts

Tools

Open DOISci-Hub