Decentralize or Perish To beat Russia, Ukraine must give its local governments a chance to flourish.

BY YULIYA BILA

APRIL 14, 2015 

Decentralize or Perish

Russian aggression against Ukraine is undeniable. It has been successful in part because Kiev’s botched post-Soviet transition to democracy has made the country vulnerable to its neighbor’s revanchist designs. The best way for Kiev to “win” in the current conflict against Putin’s Russia is to fulfill the goals of the Maidan revolution by turning Ukraine into a successful, modern, European country. Amid the endless lists of measures that Ukraine must take to get there, a particularly important reform stands out: decentralization.

Make no mistake: Decentralization — the devolution of central government powers to local authorities — is not the same as the version of federalization that has been advocated by the Russian government and separatist leaders in the Donbas. Unlike that intentionally destabilizing vision, it would not allow the provinces to veto the central government’s decisions on foreign policy, international trade, or other national issues. Instead, it would empower local leaders to use locally collected tax revenue to address issues of local development, such as where to build a bridge or how much to pay their schoolteachers. Combined with an administrative overhaul, a new round of local elections, and a greater focus on transparency, devolving certain powers away from the central government would allow local leaders to more effectively address the needs of their communities. This, in turn, would enable Ukraine to grow into a stronger, more modern state that can more effectively resist internal and external destabilization.