Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T03:00:34.135Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Local Government Reorganization and the Development of the Welfare State

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 November 2008

Francesco Kjellberg
Francesco Kjellberg
Affiliation:
Institute of Political Science, University of Oslo
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This article attempts to analyze the reorganization of local government, perceiving it as a general phenomenon in the modern state. While occurring in most developed societies, the reforms at the sub-national level do not seem to have followed a common pattern; they have been introduced and combined in different ways. Accordingly, two main questions have to be raised. Why have so many developed societies gone through some kind of reorganization? And why has the reorganization taken place at different stages and in different forms? A general, but somewhat unsatisfactory answer is that this trend reflects the expansion of the public sector. A more specific answer requires a differentiation between (a) various categories of reform, (b) different stages in the development of the welfare state and (c) varying ideological perspectives. After an elaboration of these analytical tools, the article illustrates such a structural approach through a description of the reorganization process in Norway and Sweden.

Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Public Policy , Volume 5 , Issue 2 , May 1985 , pp. 215 - 239
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1985

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Ashford, D. E. (1978) Territorial Politics and Resource Allocation, European Studies Newsletter. Vol. VIII/2.Google Scholar
Ashford, D. E. (1980) Central-local Financial Exchange in the Welfare State. In Ashford, D. E. (ed.), Financing Urban Government in the Welfare Slate. London: Croom Helm.Google Scholar
Ashford, D. E. (1982) British Dogmatism and French Pragmatism. Central-Local Poticy-Making in the Welfare State. London: Allen & Unwin.Google Scholar
Brand, J. (1976) Reforming Local Government: Sweden and England Compared. In Rose, R. (ed.), The Dynamics of Public Policy. London.Google Scholar
Brandgärde, L. (1974) Kommunema och kommunblocksbildningen. Lund: LiberGoogle Scholar
Bruun, F. (1981) Danske kommunale reformer siden 1945. Aarhus: Institute of Political Science.Google Scholar
Castells, M. (1976) The Urban Question. London: ArnoldGoogle Scholar
Chodak, S. (1983) Etatization. Its Concept and Varieties, Research in Social Movement, Conflicts and Change. Vol. 5, 259–94.Google Scholar
Dearlove, J. (1979) The Reorganization of British Local Government. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Dente, B. and Regonini, G. (1980) Urban Policy and Political Legitimation, International Political Science Review. Vol. 1, 2, 187–202.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dupuy, F. and Thoenig, J.-C. (1983) Sociologie de l'administration française. Paris: Armand Colin.Google Scholar
Gough, I. (1979) The Political Economy of the Welfare State. London: Macmillan.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gunlicks, A. B. (ed.) (1981) Local Government Reform and Reorganization: An International Perspective. Port Washington: Associated Faculty Press.Google Scholar
Gustavson, G. (1980) Local Government Reform in Sweden. Umeå: Liber.Google Scholar
Hansen, T. (1980) The Politics of Local Planning in Norway. International Political Science Review. Vol. 1, 2, 168–86.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kjellberg, F. (1983) Die Reformen der Kommunalen Gebietskörperschaften und Regionen in Dänemark, Norwegen und Schweden. In Zehetner, F. (ed.). Reformen der Kommunen und Regionen in Europa. Vienna-Munich: Jugend und Volk Vcrlag.Google Scholar
Kjellberg, F. and Offerdal, A. (1984) L'attuazione delle politiche pubbliche in Norvegia. In Dentc, B. (ed.). Le Relazioni Centro-Periferia. Milano: ISAP-Archivio.Google Scholar
Komm. inndelingskomm. (1955) Om revisjon avden kommunale inndeling. Prinsipielle retningslinjer. Olso: Kommunaldepartementet.Google Scholar
Mackenzie, W. J. M. (1961) Theories of Local Government. London: LSE series nr. 2.Google Scholar
Mény, Y. (1983) Performance and change: the relationship between central government and local authorities in France. Florence: European University Institute.Google Scholar
Mydske, P. K. (1978) Regional planlegging 1945–80. Oslo: NIBR.Google Scholar
NOU (Norges Offentlige Utredninger: Norwegian Commission of Inquiry). (1974:53) Måi og retningslinjer for reformer i lokalforvaltningen. Oslo: Kommunaldepartementet.Google Scholar
NOU (1979:44) Nytt inntektssystem for fylkeskommunen. Oslo: Kommunaldepartementet.Google Scholar
NOU (1982:15) Nytt inntektssystem for kommunene. Olso: Kommunaldepartementet.Google Scholar
Nørgaard Madsen, O. (1980) Kommunale reformer i Danmark. Aarhus: Institute of Political Science.Google Scholar
O'Connor, J. (1973) The Fiscal Crisis of the State. New York: St. Martin's Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rose, R. (ed.) (1980) Challenges to Governance: Studies in Overloaded Politics. London: Sage.Google Scholar
Rose, R. (1984) From Government At The Center to Nationwide Government. Glasgow: CSPP, University of Strathclyde.Google Scholar
Rose, R. and Peters, B. G. (1978) Can Government Go Bankrupt? New York: Basic Books.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rowat, D. (ed.) (1981) International Handbook on Local Government Reorganization. London: Greenwood Press.Google Scholar
Scharpf, F. W. (1978) Interorganizational Policy Studies; Issues, Concepts and Perspectives. In Hanf, K. and Scharpf, F. W. (eds.): Interorganizational Policy-Making. London: Sage.Google Scholar
Sharpe, L. J. (1970) Theories and Values of Local Government, Political Studies, 1970/2, 153–74.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shonfield, A. (1965) Modem Capitalism. London: Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Siedentopf, H. (1983) Die Reformen der kommunalen Gebietskörperschaften und Regionen in der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. In Österreich und in der Schweiz. In Zehetner F. (Hrsg) Reformen der Kommunen und Regionen in Europa. Wien-München: Jugend and Volk Verlag.Google Scholar
SOU (Statens öffentliga utredningar: Swedish Commissison of Inquiry) (1945:38) Riktlinjer for en revisjon au rikets indelning i borgerliga primärkommuner. Stockholm:Google Scholar
SOU (1961:9) Principer f⊙r en ny kommunindelning. Stockholm: Kommundepartementet.Google Scholar
SOU (1974:84) Stat och kommun i samverkan. Stockholm: Kommundepartementet.Google Scholar
SOU (1975:41) Kommunaldemokrati. Stockholm: Kommun departementet.Google Scholar
SOU 1978:35 Regionalutveklingsplanering. Vigdad lensdemokrati: Stockholm: Kommundepartementet.Google Scholar
St.meld.nr. 26 (1983–1984) Omet nytt inntektssystem for kommunene og fylkeskommunene. Oslo: Kommunaldepartementet.Google Scholar
St.meld.nr. 31(1974–1975) Om mål og rettningslinjerfor reformer i lokalforvaltning. Olso: Kommunaldepartementet.Google Scholar
Strømberg, L. och Westersthal, J. (1983) De nye kommunema. Stockholm: Liber.Google Scholar
Sørvang, K. P. et al. (1981) Det kommunale selvstyre. Hva sier partiprogrammene. Oslo: Institute of Political Science.Google Scholar
Tarrow, S. (1977) Between Center and Periphery, Grassroots Politicians in Italy and France. London: Yale University Press.Google Scholar
Thoenig, J.-C. (1978) State Bureaucracies and local government in France. In Hanf, K. and Scharpf, F. (eds.). Interorganizational Policy-Making. London: Sage.Google Scholar
Thrasher, M. (1982) The Concept of Central-Local Government Partnership: Issues obscured by ideas. Policy and Politics, Vol. 9/4, 455–70.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wallin, G. (1978) Den kommunal a sektorns omfattning och finansiering i Sverige.Paper to the Nordic Conference in Political Science,Bergen.Google Scholar
Widberg, J. (1979) Från Sockn till Kommunblock. Stockholm: Kommundepartementet.Google Scholar
Ylvisaker, P. (1959) Some Criteria for a ‘Proper’ Areal Division of Governmental Powers. In Maas, A. (ed.). Area and Power. Glencoe: Free Press.Google Scholar
Zehetner, F. ed. (1983) Reformen der Kommunen und Regionen in Europa. Vienna-Munich: Jugend und Volk Verlag.Google Scholar