Democracy and Decentralisation in South Asia and West Africa

This is a study of whether setting up democratic local councils in four developing countries (Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Bangladesh and India) actually makes any difference to the popularity, responsiveness and effectiveness of local government and administration. The authors make an important contribution to current debates about "good governance" and whether decentralization can provide better services for the mass of the population--the poor and the disadvantaged in rural areas. The book is comparative, and based on detailed local fieldwork and popular surveys.

• An in-depth study of the effectiveness of democratic reform in four developing countries - Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, India, Bangladesh
• Offers genuine comparison across countries, and draws lessons for making government responsive and effective
• Based on careful fieldwork and mass surveys of the populations involved