Overview
- Editors:
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Harald Baldersheim
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Department of Political Science, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Michal Illner
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Institute of Sociology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Czech Republic
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Hellmut Wollmann
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Institute of Social Sciences, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
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Table of contents (14 chapters)
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Devolution of Government in the Ex-Communist Countries: Some Explanatory Frameworks
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Challenges of the Reform Process
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- Hellmut Wollmann, Tomila Lankina
Pages 91-122
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- Edvins Vanags, Inga Vilka
Pages 123-156
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- Hellmut Wollmann, Natalia Butusova
Pages 211-240
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Making Local Democracy Work
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- Harald Baldersheim, Jan Bucek, Pawel Swianiewicz
Pages 301-312
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Conclusions
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- Michal Illner, Hellmut Wollmann
Pages 313-335
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Back Matter
Pages 337-338
About this book
This book is the first volume of aseries that aims at taking stock of the status of local democracy at the beginning of a new century. Modern local govern th me nt is largely a 19 century invention in response to processes of urbanisa tion and industrialisation. It became charged with the mundane tasks of pav ing and lighting streets, collecting refuse and providing clean water and sanitary sewerage, sometimes also acquiring a role in education and health. Anyone who has experienced a breakdown in such services knows how es sential they are to civilised life in urban society. Urban civilisation could simply not exist without working municipalities. The importance of munici pal functions ensures that the control over the municipality becomes a vital political issue. In most countries, democratisation of local government pre ceded and was an important step towards a fuH national democracy. Munici palities offered potential for the realisation of democratic citizenship at a comprehensible level of government and also became training grounds for participation in democracy on a larger scale. As institutions of the industrial era, local governments may not necessarily be able to respond adequately to the needs and aspirations of citizens of a post-industrial and global age. There are signs that citizens in a number of countries are loosing patience with local government. However, many municipalities also seek to open up new chan nels of participation for and communication with citizens.
Editors and Affiliations
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Department of Political Science, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
Harald Baldersheim
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Institute of Sociology, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Czech Republic
Michal Illner
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Institute of Social Sciences, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
Hellmut Wollmann
About the editors
Harald Baldersheim, professor at the Department of Political Science, University of Oslo, Norway; Michal Ilner, professor at the Institute of Sociology, Academy of sciences of the Czech Republik; Hellmut Wollmann, professor (em.) at the Institute of Social Sciences, Humboldt University Berlin, Germany
