Decentralization in East Asia: A Reassessment of Its Background and Potential

Abstract

Through much of the 1990s, East Asian states pursued decentralization as a panacea for economic, political, social, and foreign policy problems. Most bold reforms were not approved; a few that were approved worsened inefficiency. Both the Confucian tradition and modernization from above had not left a suitable foundation for the types of changes needed. Neither local society nor central bureaucratic power allowed much scope for market-oriented localism or cross-border linkups based on global principles. The exception was Southeast China, where the Chinese diaspora eased cooperation. To achieve both reform and regionalism, Japan and South korea should lead a revival of decentralization by emphasizing human resource development based on international migration, educational exchanges, and cities open to global integration.