Local government
Lowest tier of public administration within a sovereign state.
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of governance or public administration within a particular sovereign state. It typically constitutes a subdivision of a higher-level political or administrative unit, such as a nation or state, and acts within powers assigned by law or directives of a higher level of government. The institutions of local government vary greatly between countries, with common designated names including counties, districts, cities, townships, towns, boroughs, parishes, municipalities, shires, villages, and local government areas.
- Definition
- Lowest tiers of governance within a sovereign state
- Common names
- Counties, districts, cities, townships, towns, boroughs, parishes, municipalities, shires, villages
- Imf definition
- Institutional units whose authority extends over the smallest geographical areas for administrative and political purposes
- Typical levels
- Third or fourth level in federal states; second or third level in unitary states
- Key functions
- Provide wide range of services to local residents; may levy taxes or depend on grants
- Governance structure
- Legislative body often called municipal council, city council, town council, or board of selectmen
Lore & Background
Local governments generally act within the powers and functions assigned to them by law or directives of a higher level of government. In federal states, local government generally comprises a third or fourth level of government, whereas in unitary states, local government usually occupies the second or third level. The same term may be used in different countries to refer to local governance institutions with vastly different institutional features, powers, or functions.
Reader's Guide
Local government is significant as the level of governance closest to citizens, responsible for delivering a wide range of services to local residents. The International Monetary Fund defines local governments as institutional units whose fiscal, legislative, and executive authority extends over the smallest geographical areas distinguished for administrative and political purposes. They are often heavily dependent on grants from higher levels of government and may act as agents of central or regional governments, yet they should be able to appoint their own officers and raise and spend some funds on their own initiative. The OECD defines them as decentralized entities whose governance bodies are elected through universal suffrage with general responsibilities and some autonomy. Questions regarding the empowerment of local government institutions, the structure of local political leadership, and the extent of local self-governance are key issues in public administration. Examples from the article include Egypt's centralized system with appointed governors, Mali's decentralization program with elected communal councils, Nigeria's three-tier federal system with 774 Local Government Areas, and South Africa's two-tiered system of metropolitan and district municipalities.
Did You Know?
- The IMF defines local governments as institutional units whose authority extends over the smallest geographical areas for administrative and political purposes.
- Local governments may be known as city councils, town councils, town boards, community councils, borough councils, rural councils, village councils, boards of aldermen, or boards of selectmen.
- Some countries have special-purpose local governments such as independent school districts, elected water boards, or local service districts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is local government?
Local government refers to the most grassroots layer of public administration inside any sovereign country. It operates as a subdivision beneath national or state-level authorities and exercises whatever powers those higher bodies delegate through legislation.
What names do local government units go by?
Depending on the country, these entities carry many labels—counties, districts, cities, townships, boroughs, parishes, municipalities, shires, villages, and local government areas are all in regular use. There is no single universal term for them.
Where does local government sit in the political hierarchy?
In federal systems it generally occupies the third or fourth tier of governance, while in unitary states it typically falls at the second or third level. Either way, it is the lowest rung of the administrative ladder within a sovereign state.
What does local government actually do for residents?
It delivers a broad range of day-to-day public services directly to the people in its jurisdiction, covering everything from infrastructure to community welfare. The exact portfolio of responsibilities varies significantly from one country to another.
How is local government funded?
Some local authorities have the legal power to levy their own taxes on residents and businesses, while others depend primarily on financial transfers and grants from higher levels of government. The balance between self-generated revenue and central funding differs by jurisdiction.
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