Publication

Democracy and Decentralisation in South Asia and West Africa: Participation, Accountability and Performance

Published on 1 January 1999

This book is an in-depth empirical study of four Asian and African attempts to create democratic, decentralised local governments in the late 1980s and 1990s. The case studies of Ghana, Cote d’lvoire, Karnataka (India) and Bangladesh focus upon the enhancement of participation: accountability between people, politicians and bureaucrats; and, most importantly, on whether governmental performance actually improved in comparison with previous forms of administration.

The book is systematically comparative, and based upon extensive popular surveys and local fieldwork. It makes an important contribution to current debates in the development literature on whether ‘good governance’ and decentralisation can provide more responsive and effective services for the mass of the population – the poor and disadvantaged who live in the rural areas.

Publication details

authors
Crook, R.C. and Manor, J.
isbn
0 521 63647 7

Share

Related content

Opinion

Familiar territory: Coming back to IDS after 35 years

Dr Sepali Kottegoda, Director Programmes, Gender and Political Economy, Women and Media Collective

8 May 2025

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.