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Fiscal decentralisation in Tanzania: For better or for worse?

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  • Odd-Helge Fjeldstad

Abstract

Tanzania is currently implementing a local government reform aimed at improving public service delivery. An important component of the reform is to increase the fiscal autonomy of local authorities. This policy is encouraged and partly initiated by the donor community. The purpose of this article is to explore to what extent we can expect that increased fiscal autonomy will improve the efficiency and responsiveness of the public sector. The paper concludes that it is unrealistic to expect that the present administration in many local authorities in Tanzania has adequate capacity and the required integrity to manage increased fiscal autonomy. In fact, there is a real danger that, in the absence of substantial restructuring of the current tax system combined with capacity building and improved integrity, increased autonomy will increase mismanagement and corruption.

Suggested Citation

  • Odd-Helge Fjeldstad, 2001. "Fiscal decentralisation in Tanzania: For better or for worse?," CMI Working Papers 10, CMI (Chr. Michelsen Institute), Bergen, Norway.
    • Handle: RePEc:chm:wpaper:wp2001-10
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Dennis A. Rondinelli & James S. McCullough & Ronald W. Johnson, 1989. "Analysing Decentralization Policies in Developing Countries: a Political‐Economy Framework," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 20(1), pages 57-87, January.
    2. Westergaard, Kirsten & Alam, Muhammad Mustafa, 1995. "Local government in Bangladesh: Past experiences and yet another try," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 23(4), pages 679-690, April.
    3. Smoke, Paul & Lewis, Blane D., 1996. "Fiscal decentralization in Indonesia: A new approach to an old idea," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(8), pages 1281-1299, August.
    4. Jacobsen, Dag Ingvar, 1999. "Trust in Political-Administrative Relations: The Case of Local Authorities in Norway and Tanzania," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(5), pages 839-853, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Rashid Mehmood & Sara Sadiq, 2010. "Impact of Fiscal Decentralisation on Human Development: A Case Study of Pakistan," The Pakistan Development Review, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, vol. 49(4), pages 513-530.
    2. Edgar Kiser & Audrey Sacks, 2011. "African Patrimonialism in Historical Perspective," The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, , vol. 636(1), pages 129-149, July.
    3. United Cities and Local Governments, 2011. "Local Government Finance," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14696.
    4. Lund, Jens Friis, 8. "Taxation Issues in Tanzanian Forest Decentralisation," Scandinavian Forest Economics: Proceedings of the Biennial Meeting of the Scandinavian Society of Forest Economics, Scandinavian Society of Forest Economics, issue 41, May.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H71 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue
    • O18 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Urban, Rural, Regional, and Transportation Analysis; Housing; Infrastructure
    • O23 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Fiscal and Monetary Policy in Development
    • R51 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Regional Government Analysis - - - Finance in Urban and Rural Economies

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