Decentralization and democratization in Indonesia : case studies from Bandung and Cirebon, West Java

[Truncated] A key assumption behind the promotion of decentralization in developing countries, shared by governments, multilateral agencies and political theorists alike, is that it facilitates democratization. Decentralizing the political process purportedly allows greater popular participation and leads to the inclusion of wider popular preferences in policy formation. Yet the experiences of many developing countries, where decentralization policies have not always facilitated democratic outcomes, suggest that there are considerable challenges in translating the theory into reality. This in tum raises questions about the causal relationship between decentralization and democratization and about whether linking these concepts is realistic in societies emerging from authoritarianism. Indonesia's long history of swinging between centralization and decentralization, and between democracy and authoritarianism offers an excellent opportunity to examine the theoretical debate. This thesis addresses the gap in the literature on emerging democracies by shedding light on how decentralization and democratization have been adopted and applied in two local government entities in Indonesia, namely Bandung District (Kabupaten Bandung) and the City of Cirebon (Kofa Cirebon).