Decentralization of the State, world economic crisis and local opportunities in Latin America

Abstract

This text analyzes the process of political decentralization developed in Latin America since the eighties up to now.  It explains its achievements in competences and greater resources for local governments and the emergency of the paradigm of the “good local government”, with a more participatory management. Nevertheless, the process itself the process has stopped before consolidating deeper changes in the distribution of power.  The sudden emergence of the world crisis creates a new setting, where concentration tendencies of central governments could uprise.  The proposal is to take advantage of the difficult present situation to generate alternatives to the model of globalized growth, mitigating its predatory and undemocratic characteristics. The municipalities and their associations have a lot that to contribute with their experiences of good government in the promotion of endogenous development.  For thus, one must promote the municipal associative movement and build alliances with other private and public actors who favour democratization and sustainable local development.