Political Decentralization, Democracy and Participation

This book on Political Decentralization, Democracy and Participation, which is Volume XVIII of the Collection of the Author’s Treatise on Constitutional Law, collects duly systematized in 1,200 pages, 56 studies written during the last decades, on this important trilogy of concepts that are inextricably linked. Political decentralization, that is, the territorial distribution of state power, is of the essence of democracies, and only when it exists in states can there be the possibility of effective political participation of citizens. Therefore, without fear of being wrong, we can say that there is no democracy without political decentralization, that there can be no effective political participation without the decentralization of power, and that this can only occur in democratic states if they are effectively decentralized. Therefore, in the political history of nations, only democratic states are decentralized and there are no decentralized autocracies. All autocracies are centralist, since they begin by centralizing power by dismantling the principle of separation of powers, of which political decentralization is an essential piece. The various studies have been grouped into the following Five Books: Book One, on political decentralization and democracy, with critical studies on the centralism of the State; the democratic challenge of decentralization and the reform of the State; and the necessary revaluation of representative democracy in the face of the dangers of authoritarian discourse on a supposed "participatory democracy" without representation. Book Two, on some history: federation and municipalities, with studies on the federation; the development of the centralized State on federal letterhead; the origins of the Spanish-American municipal regime and its roots in the French Revolution and Napoleonic territorial organization; and municipal power and the historical and political validity of the city councils. Book Three, on political decentralization and federalism, with studies on Venezuelan federalism and regionalization; the legislative bases for the political decentralization of the centralized federation; work as Minister of State for decentralization (1993-1994); and the failed proposal on a new federalism and a new municipalism for the new Constitution of 1999. Book Four, on decentralization and municipalism, with studies on the successive reforms of the municipal regime; political participation in successive organic laws; the crisis of the municipality, of local democracy and of participation; globalization, localization and the small municipality; the role of municipalities in the constitutional State; and participation and democratic representation in municipal government. Book Five, on aspects of the process of destruction of federalism, municipalism and political participation, with studies on: the beginning of demunicipalization with the organization of People's Power; the fallacy of the so-called "participatory democracy;" the unconstitutional creation of a "Communal State or People's Power." The volume concludes with some final reflections on democracy, participation and decentralization in the consolidation of the democratic and social rule of law; and the need to return to the paradigm: participatory democracy, political decentralization and municipal regime.