Decentralization is a popular component of public sector reform in many developing countries. Local governments are thought to be able to adapt more quickly to local conditions and to respond more appropriately to the needs of their citizens. However, decentralization also has drawbacks....

Decentralization advances patronage politics in distinct ways. First, in decentralized states both central and local politicians distribute patronage to enhance their political support. Second, local elections reveal information to central leaders about the geographic distribution of electorally...

Despite large-scale humanitarian aid, the poverty headcount ratio continued to rise after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami in Indonesia. This paper evaluates how a decentralized provision of aid affected poverty and inequality dynamics over seven years after the tsunami. Donors distributed fishing...