The Decentralization Policy in the City of Buenos Aires: A Public Policy Analysis

Abstract

The author begins with the premise that during the ‘90s a State crisis took place bringing into question its size and effectiveness; and that politicians were also found in a crisis situation, as well as their capacity to represent citizenship. Against this background, it became evident to the author the need to transform State-society relationship. He advocates decentralization —conceived from three perspectives: political, administrative and territorial— as a solution and as a mean to ensure greater effectiveness and efficiency of public policies and improve democracy. His case study is the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Hence he analyzes the process of shaping the City’s Constitution and the 1996’s Chief of Government election, noting the political and social actors involved in both cases, and their attitudes to the possible decentralization of the city.