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Subsidiarity: More than a Principle of Decentralization—a View from Local Government

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  • Joseph Drew
  • Bligh Grant

Abstract

A common interpretation of the principle of subsidiarity in the federalism literature is that decentralized government, which is closer to the people, is better able to respond to the preferences of its citizens. However, when the principle is denuded of its moral foundations in this fashion it not only fails to provide the grounding for achieving human dignity and the common good, but may also become the harbinger of fiscal crises and social dysfunction. We provide a more comprehensive account of the principle of subsidiarity and contrast this with various conceptions prominently presented in the federalism literature. We then explore how this more comprehensive view of subsidiarity would look in practice. In short, we argue that mere decentralization of government fails to capture the ontology and desirable outcomes of the principle of subsidiarity.

Suggested Citation

  • Joseph Drew & Bligh Grant, 2017. "Subsidiarity: More than a Principle of Decentralization—a View from Local Government," Publius: The Journal of Federalism, CSF Associates Inc., vol. 47(4), pages 522-545.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:publus:v:47:y:2017:i:4:p:522-545.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/publius/pjx039
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    1. Ebel, Alice L., 1970. "The Political Theory of Local Government. By W. Hardy Wichwar. (Columbia: University of South Carolina Press, 1970. Pp. 118. $5.95.)," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 64(4), pages 1278-1279, December.
    2. Weingast, Barry R & Shepsle, Kenneth A & Johnsen, Christopher, 1981. "The Political Economy of Benefits and Costs: A Neoclassical Approach to Distributive Politics," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 89(4), pages 642-664, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Robert Gawłowski & Saulius Nefas & Krzysztof Makowski, 2020. "Subsidiarity Principle—Its Realization in Self-Government in Lithuania and Poland," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-15, March.
    2. Austin M Aldag & Mildred E Warner & Yunji Kim, 2019. "Leviathan or Public Steward? Evidence on Local Government Taxing Behavior from New York State," Publius: The Journal of Federalism, CSF Associates Inc., vol. 49(4), pages 671-693.

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