decentralization
dee-sen-truh-lye-ZAY-shun
/diːˌsen.trə.laɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/
The transfer of control, power, or decision-making from a central organization or authority to smaller, local units.
Focuses on the systemic restructuring of administrative or political authority across an entire organization or country.
The story behind the word. Coined during the French Revolution in the 1790s by political thinkers observing the massive concentration of state power in Paris. Alexis de Tocqueville popularized the term in 'Democracy in America' (1835) to describe how local self-governance balances national authority.
Word relationships
- deconcentration: Deconcentration merely moves administrative workload to field offices, whereas decentralization usually transfers actual decision-making power.
- dispersion: Dispersion refers to physical scattering, whereas decentralization refers to institutional authority.
- centralization: Centralization consolidates power and decision-making into a single central authority.
Commonly confused with
- devolution: Decentralization is an overarching umbrella term for distributing power; devolution is a specific legal transfer of governing authority to subnational elected bodies.
Word family
- decentralize (verb): To redistribute administrative or political power away from a central location.
- decentralized (adjective): Operating without a central organizing node or authority.
Collocations
- fiscal decentralization
- administrative decentralization
- promote decentralization
- decentralization of power
Example sentences
- "Political decentralization aims to give citizens or their elected representatives more power in public decision-making." Public Policy & Development (World Bank Policy Report on Decentralization (2000))
- "The multinational corporation pursued administrative decentralization to permit regional managers to adapt rapidly to local market fluctuations." Corporate Governance
Memory hook
DE-CENTRALIZATION is moving away from the CENTER. Away from the central hub.
When not to use
Do not use to describe informal task-sharing among peers; it specifically implies structural redistribution of formal power.
Fun facts
- The term gained renewed global prominence in the 1990s as international development organizations made public administration reform a condition for loans.
Related words
Explore more words
devolve, deregulation, empower, polycentric, federation, transparency
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