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Decentralization of Power and of Decision-Making - an Institutional Driver for Systems Change to Democracy
Dezentralisierung von Macht und Entscheidungsfindung - ein institutioneller Treiber für Systemwechsel zur Demokratie
[journal article]
Abstract Regarding processes of system change towards democracy, rule of law and market economy from a comparative point of view, the decentralization of political institutions and of managing public affairs is one important system goal. Based on German experience in two times of transformation (1945/49 and ... view more
Regarding processes of system change towards democracy, rule of law and market economy from a comparative point of view, the decentralization of political institutions and of managing public affairs is one important system goal. Based on German experience in two times of transformation (1945/49 and 1989/90), the article reflects on the usefulness of transferring these (meanwhile historic) experiences as a specific "lesson" to the Korean peninsula. Our conclusion is threefold: First, a reform of the political system should combine a maintaining vertical hierarchy acting top down with local autonomy with either a strong or a weak set of responsibility. Second, an elite circulation of small size which incorporates cooperative parts of old elites seems to be useful; thereby risks of obstruction can be neutralized and local rationalities can be unlocked in situations of transition crises. Third, local self-government serves not only as a "driver" of democratization but also for optimizing people`s demands of functional execution of public services.... view less
Keywords
old federal states; German Democratic Republic (GDR); political decision; system change; federalism; Federal Republic of Germany; New Federal States; decision making; political elite; transformation; democratization; international comparison; decentralization; political system
Classification
Political System, Constitution, Government
Social History, Historical Social Research
Document language
English
Publication Year
2016
Page/Pages
p. 281-298
Journal
Historical Social Research, 41 (2016) 3
Issue topic
Knowledge Transfer as Intercultural Translation: the German Reunification as a 'Lesson' for Korea?
DOI
https://doi.org/10.12759/hsr.41.2016.3.281-298
ISSN
0172-6404
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed