ABSTRACT
Democracy is the accountability of leaders to their people. Different institutions in the local arena are accountable to local people in different ways. Which institutions, authorities or categories of person represent – are accountable and responsive to – ‘local’ people in forestry? Who is receiving authority or powers to manage forests under a given reform or project? The choice of local institutional interlocutors by intervening agencies – central governments, donors, large non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or international development agents – is important. Working through different kinds of local institutions – private, public, representative, administrative, civic – might have different kinds of equity, efficiency and democracy outcomes (Woolcock and Prichett, 2005; Ribot, 2006; Ribot et al, 2008).
