Kommunindelning och demokrati [Elektronisk resurs] Om sammanläggning och delning av kommuner i Sverige

• This thesis focuses on the territorial dimension of democracy by studying the division of Swedish municipalities. It consists of two parts focusing on two types of changes to the division of municipalities: amalgamation and secession. The consequences of a series of amalgamation reforms are the starting point for the first part. The question is if the new structure of the municipalities following from amalgamation, e.g. increased size, changed centre-periphery relations and an increased number of urban areas within municipalities, has had any importance for local democracy. The structural factors are looked at in the light of three aspects of democracy: municipalities as community units, their democratic legitimacy and political participation. This study shows that amalgamations can have negative effects for democracy and the conclusion is that the optimal division, from a democratic point of view, is one of small municipalities with only one dominating urban area in each municipality. As for secession, the study shows that few citizens want their part of the municipality to secede, except for those who live in parts that have had an application for secession rejected in recent years. The most important reason for supporting secession is that it would improve democracy. The main reason for opposing secession is that it would lead to decreased efficiency. The study also shows that certain conditions may change the attitude to secession, but these conditions cannot explain why a higher proportion than average is positive to secession in municipality parts that have applied for secession in recent years. 

Ämnesord

Social Sciences  (hsv)

Political Science  (hsv)

Political Science (excluding Public Administration Studies and Globalisation Studies)  (hsv)

Samhällsvetenskap  (hsv)

Statsvetenskap  (hsv)

Statsvetenskap (exklusive studier av offentlig förvaltning och globaliseringsstudier)  (hsv)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  (svep)

Social sciences  (svep)

Political science  (svep)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  (svep)

Socialvetenskap  (svep)

Statsvetenskap  (svep)

Genre

government publication  (marcgt)

Indexterm och SAB-rubrik

Political science

territorial division

democracy

demos

community spirit

legitimacy

participation

municipality

local government

amalgamation

secession

municipality partition

Statsvetenskap