Perspectives on Regional Government

The primary concern is with the organization and functioning of regional government, with no presumption that this is a desirable or undesirable political arrangement. Regional government may assume a variety of forms, depending on the nature of national government. It is argued that regional government has both advantages and disadvantages. This is shown to be the case for the nation as a whole as well as for the individual region. An important facet of regional government is the regional economy. This affects the well-being of the region, and also determines the scope and direction of policies undertaken by a regional government. Finally, consideration is given to certain issues in the financing of regional government through interregional transfers. It becomes apparent that regional government is underpinned by a plurality of influences which are interrelated in a complex manner.