The Decentralization And The Transformation Of Intergovernmental Relationship In Contemporary France

In the veins of State-Building history and governance theory,this dissertation is the study of the decentralization and the transformation of intergovernmental relationship in contemporary France.It focuses on the decentralization and deconcentration and examines the reforms in great detail to reveal what relationship changed and how degree they changed.It should be pointed out that there is a wider debate in France about the nature of the French political system,and the necessity of constitutional change to give greater recognition to the new territorial politics.Someone believes that the reforms have changed French system from the old system to a new one.The old system was characterized as hierarchical,monocentric and majoritarian,and the State was believed to be purposive and the centre dominated the periphery.By contrast,the new system is more multi-level,more pluralistic and more proportional.All the same time,others believe the old system was never quite hierarchical,monocentric and majoritarian,and the State and the bureaucracy were always fragmented.The president was always dependent on the party political forces.There was always a competitive multi-party system.What is more,the new system still exhibits certain hierarchical,monocentric and majoritarian characteristics.The state is still a reference point for both left and right.Though the degree of local autonomy has increased,local authorities are reliant on the center for funding and even for governance.This study finds that the reforms indeed change the intergovernmental relations,but it doesn't reach the degree as suggested.The central government transfers powers and resources to the local authorities in order to enable them to exercise their new powers effectively.In some degree these transfers help the local to release from the central government,but in other degree they help to make the local in the charge of the central government.It is worthy to be mentioned that the success of French reform based on some common consensus which all constitutional countries hold.When the reform began,French had finished the State-Building,form national state,constitutional state to democratic state.It serves as the foundation for the reform.Also,the bureaucratic government,the contractual government and the joined-up-government served as the framework for the reform.All these are the most important things for those states that still don't finish State-Building and want to reform.