Decentralization as the main component of local self-government reform

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to study the reform of local self-government, the main component of which is decentralization. At the same time, the main goal of the reform of local self-government, in our opinion, is timely, effective, independent provision of its effective activity, first of all, to solve issues of local importance at one’s own expense, which will further lead to the full mobilization of all internal reserves and the endowment of all territorial communities with large resources.During the research, general scientific methods were used, in particular: historical, logical, systematic. The historical method was used when considering the objective process of development of the concept of decentralization with all its twists and turns. The logical method was used to reflect the historical process of the concept of decentralization in a theoretical and abstract form. The system method made it possible to consider decentralization in the form of an extremely complex socio-political system. It is through the systematic approach that an opportunity is created to comprehensively assess the current state of decentralization, its significant resource and intellectual potential, opportunities for the establishment and development of a democratic legal state.The very concept of «decentralization» is defined, which is generally interpreted as the transfer of powers from state authorities to local self-government bodies.In foreign countries, decentralization is considered as a kind of process of transferring power and corresponding financial resources from the central to lower levels of government, such as provinces, regions, districts and municipalities. The main types of decentralization are analyzed and defined: political, administrative and fiscal, as well as the main forms of decentralization: devolution, delegation and deconcentration.Recently, in the state and society, there is a need to develop new approaches to the system analysis, composition and content of the category of «decentralization», which is traditionally defined as a kind of process in which relevant independent units are formed in a centralized state, which are the bearers of public self-governing power (Local Government). At the same time, an urgent necessary condition for the stable and sustainable development of civil society and a democratic legal state is the effective provision of an effective balance not only of national and local interests, but also the appropriate coordination and cooperation of these interests at various levels of public authority.We believe that the continuation of the most effective reform of local self-government, the main component of which is decentralization, will contribute to strengthening the capacity of not only local executive bodies, but first of all, local self-government bodies, which by their nature are the primary institution of direct people’s power.