ABSTRACT
In the context of increased démocratisation, the role of the people in decision-making has taken on greater relevance in development processes. Democratic trends, which promote a freedom of choice hitherto not experienced in many countries, have been followed by a shift toward the decentralisation of government to local levels, ostensibly a government closer and more reactive to the needs and requirements of the people. The whole point of decentralisation legislation is that it devolves power and responsibility to local levels of government and is not prescriptive beyond that. Yet, it is also at this level that resource constraints are most pronounced: the population of cities is increasing rapidly, existing services and infrastructure are deteriorating, and technical, managerial and financial resources are lacking. This has resulted in a collision of forces and in a conspicuous dichotomy of extended municipal responsibility with diminished municipal resources. This dichotomy seriously affects the poor inhabitants of cities, and has led to the seeds of change in the relationship between civil society and government.
