Special-purpose authorities: a welcomed alien to decentralization in Lebanon?
| Date | 01 September 2017 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0020852315583775 |
| Published date | 01 September 2017 |
| Author | Ann O'M. Bowman,Khaldoun AbouAssi |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
International Review of
Administrative Sciences
2017, Vol. 83(3) 503–523
!The Author(s) 2015
Reprints and permissions:
sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav
DOI: 10.1177/0020852315583775
journals.sagepub.com/home/ras
International
Review of
Administrative
Sciences
Article
Special-purpose authorities: a
welcomed alien to decentralization
in Lebanon?
Khaldoun AbouAssi
American University, USA
Ann O’M. Bowman
Texas A&M University, USA
Abstract
Countries in transition face numerous political and economic challenges often exacer-
bated by persistent corruption and internecine religious conflict. In Lebanon, existing
local governments have proven ineffective at providing many public services, especially
those with spillover effects and externalities. This article proposes a structural change:
the introduction of special-purpose local authorities to provide a single service tran-
scending the boundaries of individual local governments. This proposal promises an
innovative and practical solution to some existing problems; moreover, it will disentan-
gle some of the complexities in the social and political milieus of a country typified by
intense conflict.
Points for practitioners
This article proposes a policy recommendation to address one of the many challenges
facing decentralization in Lebanon. Existing local governments have proven ineffective at
providing many public services, especially those with spillover effects and externalities.
Special-purpose local authorities are introduced as an innovative and practical solution
to some existing problems; an approach that will disentangle some of the complexities
in the social and political milieus of a country typified by intense conflict. The article
provides certain decision points that are useful for policy makers and practitioners as
they consider possible resolutions to existing challenges, potential implementation obs-
tacles, and mitigating factors.
Keywords
decentralization, Lebanon, local governments, special-purpose authorities
Corresponding author:
Khaldoun AbouAssi, Department of Public Administration and Policy, School of Public Affairs, American
University, 4400 Massachusetts Ave, NW. Ward Circle Building, Washington DC 20016, USA.
Email: abouassi@american.edu
Introduction
Across the globe, governments are experimenting with fundamental structural
change: reinstating market mechanisms, privatizing or subcontracting out pub-
lic utilities and services, and devolving functions to lower echelons (Cuadrado-
Ballesteros et al., 2013). Essential questions abound: How should authority be
distributed across governmental levels? Which structural arrangements will pro-
duce optimum efficiency and effectiveness? These questions continue to intrigue
scholars and challenge practitioners.
Finding answers to these questions has a particular exigency in developing
countries. There, governments search for the optimal administrative structure
that suits the country’s social culture and political system, and at the same time,
comports with the urgency of development and globalization (Tandon et al. 2001).
Many scholars studying the distribution of authority in various countries have
concluded that, unless compelling reasons for centralization exist, ‘local decisions
are best made by locals’ (Hooghe and Marks, 2009: 232). Over time, decentraliza-
tion has become a universal trend, a desirable option for dispersing decision-
making and allocating responsibility, advocated by organizations like the World
Bank. Although some scholars (Andrews and de Vries 2007; Awortwi and
Helmsing 2014; Kakumba 2010; Sezen 2011) caution against the widespread
belief in uniformly positive outcomes of decentralization, some empirical evi-
dence supports this contention; in countries like Spain and Bolivia, several types
of subnational governments have been created and empowered in an effort to
achieve efficiency and responsiveness (Cuadrado-Ballesteros et al., 2013; Faguet,
2014). In Iraq, Brinkerhoff and Johnson (2009) underscore the importance of
local government in rebuilding the country’s governance system.
Decentralization is an especially critical concern in nations typified by intense
conflict, such as Lebanon.
Lebanon has considered decentralization episodically: during the civil war, as a
resolution towards peace; in the aftermath of the war, as a mechanism to rebuild a
shattered administration and economy; and in subsequent years as an alternative to
promote democracy and participation similar to other countries (Salem et al.,
1998). Currently, the only real manifestation of decentralization in Lebanon is
the system of municipalities. Central government control over municipalities
remains tight and cumbersome, rendering them weak local administrative units
(OMSAR, 2011). Municipalities are also dominated by political parties and reli-
gious groups in a larger struggle for political power in the country (Haase and
Antoun, 2015).
With a new draft law for decentralization in the making, we wade into the
debate by proposing a new model common in Western countries but untried in
the Middle East: special-purpose authorities. Although a Western contrivance,
such a model might be welcomed by Lebanon if presented as a mechanism for
functional decentralization by geography. We are mindful of the political
504 International Review of Administrative Sciences 83(3)
To continue reading
Request your trial