In the past two decades, decentralization has gained increasing attention as a necessary and valuable instrument for enhancing efficiency and promoting democratic participation - yet progress has been slow. A detailed analysis of the Participatory Development District in Nepal, this book identifies conditions vital to the success of decentralization and shows how they may be fostered. At the same time, it skillfully places the program in a comparative perspective: by examining the political economy of previous decentralization efforts, Agrawal and his colleagues identify the impediments that decentralization has faced in so many countries. This even-handed study has important implications for projects of decentralization not only in Nepal, but also in developed and developing countries around the world.

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