Local Democracy in India: Interpreting Decentralization

The basic objective of this large-scale study is to reconstruct the contemporary history of decentralization in India. This is done with reference to the experiences of four states—West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh—which represent three generations of panchayats. It assesses the contribution of these institutions in expanding the social base of democracy and in deepening the process of democratization at the local level.