Type of the article: Research ArticleAbstractThe Russian invasion of Ukraine has reshaped the functioning of local budgets, creating fiscal challenges for municipalities while simultaneously testing the resilience of the decentralization reform launched in the pre-war period. This study examines the dynamics of local public finance in Ukraine during wartime (2022â2024), focusing on revenue fluctuations, expenditure restructuring, and the emerging role of participatory budgeting as an adaptive tool for community engagement. Using official data from the Ministry of Finance, the State Statistics Service, and the Open Budget Portal, the analysis compares fiscal indicators before and during the full-scale war. Case studies of selected municipalities highlight divergent strategies between frontline and rear communities in balancing defense-related needs, social support for internally displaced persons, and development priorities. Despite reduced revenues and rising security expenditures, local budgets remained stable, largely due to the decentralization framework. In addition to domestic revenues, local budgets increasingly relied on external inflows: international grants, loans, and non-repayable donor assistance. These instruments served as a critical buffer that compensated for the wartime decline in municipal revenues and stabilized key public services. We further examined how these external resources shaped the fiscal resilience of Ukrainian municipalities under wartime conditions. Moreover, participatory budgeting, though often suspended, proved to be a potential mechanism for maintaining public trust and civic involvement under crisis conditions. The study argues that âwartime participatory budgetingâ represents a novel phenomenon with implications for both crisis governance and post-war reconstruction.
This paper analyzes the role, structure, and challenges of central budget transfers namely block grants and earmarked transfers in financing primary and secondary education at the municipal level in the Republic of North Macedonia. In light of the country's ongoing fiscal decentralization, municipalities have assumed core responsibilities for delivering public education services. To fulfill these obligations, the central government supports local budgets primarily through block grants, which offer limited flexibility, and earmarked transfers designated for specific projects. Through a mixed-method approach combining legal analysis, comparative municipal data, and case-based evidence, the study evaluates the effectiveness, equity, and efficiency of the current intergovernmental transfer mechanisms. Special attention is given to disparities in per-student funding, differences in administrative capacity, and the extent to which formula-based allocations reflect local socio-economic conditions. Findings reveal substantial variation in municipalitiesâ capacity to ensure quality education, driven in part by weaknesses in funding formulas, late disbursements, and institutional constraints. The paper concludes with policy recommendations aimed at improving allocation methods, enhancing transparency, and building local administrative capacity to ensure fair, efficient, and sustainable education financing under a decentralized governance framework.
Inter-local cooperation (ILC) has long served as a pragmatic governance response in the Philippines, enabling local government units (LGUs) to address policy challenges that transcend administrative boundaries. Yet national experience under Section 33 of the 1991 Local Government Code shows that cooperation has often remained voluntary, procedurally thin, and dependent on Memoranda of Agreement rather than on institutionalized legal personality, pooled fiscal authority, and durable governance systems (Republic of the Philippines 1991; DILG, NEDA, and GIZ 2010; Miels and Mayer 2025). This article examines the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) as a case of subnational legal innovation following the enactment of the Bangsamoro Local Governance Code (BLGC) in 2023 (BAA 49, 2023). Drawing on documentary analysis and national ILC experience, the study analyzes how the BLGC reconfigures statutory authority for interâLGU cooperation and why BLGCâaligned institutions have not yet consolidated in routine practice. The findings show that the BLGC provides one of the most explicit statutory foundations to date for horizontal cooperation â authorizing joint organizations, shared authority, and multiâstakeholder participation â yet interâlocal cooperation in BARMM remains largely MOAâbased at present, reflecting an early, preâinstitutionalization stage (BAA 49, 2023; Miels and Mayer 2025). Interpreting this as reform sequencing rather than policy failure, the article demonstrates that rulesâinâform are in place while the rulesâinâuse required for implementation â procedural clarity, pooled fiscal systems, organizational capacity, and integration into regional governance â are still being developed (Ostrom 1990; Pierson 2000; Mahoney and Thelen 2010). In doing so, the study reframes early implementation gaps as expected features of institutional transition and highlights the BLGCâs broader contribution to modernizing the legal foundations of interâlocal cooperation beyond Section 33, offering insights relevant to decentralization reform and intergovernmental governance in the Philippines.
Martin Christy ABIAYA'A, Tati Gaelle TIMBA, Jean Hugues NLOM, Marcellin NDONG NTAH
Abstract The objective of this article is to analyze the effect of fiscal decentralization on early childhood education in Cameroon. Using a methodological framework based on econometric modeling by ordinary least squares (OLS), generalized least squares (GLS), and the generalized method of moments (GMM), it emerges that fiscal decentralization positively and significantly affects early childhood education in Cameroon. The results obtained by OLS and GLS reveal that Fiscal decentralization has a significant and positive effect on the number of desks per student. The Global Monitoring Mechanisms (GMM) demonstrate that fiscal decentralization leads to a significant and positive increase in both the number of classrooms per student and the number of desks per student. The investigations revealed that fiscal decentralization has a positive effect on early childhood education in Cameroon.These results suggest implementing financing mechanisms for local authorities to stimulate local development through the provision of sustainable socioeconomic infrastructure that can ensure equal and equitable access to education for children. Keywords: Cameroon, schooling, early childhood, fiscal decentralization
Decentralization of fiscal policy is a key factor in the formation of financial independence of local governments and strengthening the economic stability of regions in modern democratic states. Its relevance for Ukraine is determined by the need to strengthen the financial basis of territorial communities in the process of implementing administrative-territorial reform. The purpose of the study is to determine the decentralization of fiscal policy as a mandatory condition for obtaining an independent status of local communities; the object is the system of intergovernmental relations in democratic states. The methodological basis is comparative-legal and quantitative-analytical approaches, based on official statistical data Open Budget, World Bank Boost Data, the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine and the State Statistics Service. The results of the study showed that in 2018â2024 the share of income without transfers, tax revenues and own resources of communities increased, which confirms the increase in the level of fiscal autonomy. Legislative amendments to the Budget Code ensured the expansion of local revenue sources, the introduction of basic and reverse subsidy mechanisms and the strengthening of horizontal equalization. It was found that the Ukrainian model of fiscal decentralization is gradually approaching European practices, forming institutional prerequisites for the sustainable development of communities and strengthening their financial independence.
Uhryn A.P. FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES IN DEVELOPED COUNTRIES: IMPLEMENTATION IN DOMESTIC PRACTICE Purpose. The aim of the article is to summarise and systematise international experience in financial support for the development of local communities in developed countries and to substantiate the directions for its implementation in domestic practice, taking into account the tasks of strengthening the revenue base of local budgets in Ukraine, increasing the institutional stability of communities and ensuring their sustainable development in the context of post-war recovery and budget decentralization. Methodology of research. The methodological basis of the study is the systemic and institutional approaches, which made it possible to consider local finances as a complex multi-level system in which budgetary, tax, and transfer mechanisms interact within the current institutional environment. In the process of research, comparative analysis methods were used to compare models of local finance organization and mechanisms of fiscal decentralization in different countries, logical generalization to form theoretical conclusions and conceptual provisions, as well as structural and functional analysis to identify the role of individual elements of the budget system in ensuring the financial autonomy of local self-government. Thus, the research methodology is based on a comprehensive combination of modern theoretical and methodological approaches to analysing the functioning of the public finance system in decentralized conditions. The theoretical basis of the work is formed by the provisions of the theory of fiscal federalism, which reveal the patterns of distribution of revenue and expenditure powers between levels of government, the concept of tax autonomy of territorial communities, as well as scientific approaches to inter-budgetary equalization as a tool for ensuring financial capacity and balanced regional development. Findings. It has been established that the effectiveness of financial support for local communities is determined by a balanced combination of tax autonomy, stable own and fixed revenues, as well as effective mechanisms of vertical and horizontal financial equalisation. The institutional features of decentralised, cooperative and centralised models of local finance, their impact on the financial stability of communities and the quality of public services are revealed. It is substantiated that Ukraine's priorities are: strengthening the role of personal income tax and property tax in local budget revenues, improving formula equalisation based on European models, developing municipal investment and project financing instruments, and integrating international aid into the local finance system while maintaining budgetary discipline. The obtained results correspond to the tasks of improving the effectiveness of communityâs information and communication resources and strengthening the financial capacity of territories. Originality. International models of financial support for territorial communities have been systematised through the prism of combining tax autonomy and solidarity mechanisms; adaptation guidelines for Ukraine have been substantiated, combining the expansion of communities' own revenue base with the improvement of inter-budgetary relations and the strengthening of the financial responsibility of local self-government bodies. Practical value. The proposed approaches can be used by public authorities and territorial communities of Ukraine to form a sustainable revenue policy, optimise the financial equalisation system, plan development investments and improve the quality of budget management. The research results are relevant to scientific and practical tasks of improving local budget revenue management and introducing strategic risk management into community activities. Key words: financial support for local communities, fiscal decentralization, local budgets, tax autonomy, inter-budgetary relations, financial equalisation, post-war recovery.
Volodymyr Valihura, Oleksandr Odaiskyi, Ivan Vakulich, Mykhailo Soroka
Valihura V.A., Odaiskyi O.B., Vakulich I.P., Soroka M.V. PRAGMATICS OF FISCAL DECENTRALIZATION IN THE CONTEXT OF FORMING LOCAL BUDGET REVENUES IN UKRAINE Purpose. The aim of the article is to identify the prerequisites for the reform of fiscal decentralization in Ukraine, highlight individual stages of its implementation and assess the impact on the formation of local budget revenues. Methodology of research. The research process involved the use of general scientific and special methods of cognition, in particular analysis and synthesis, induction and deduction, systemic, structural and functional approaches. To assess the fiscal effects of the reform, comparative and dynamic analysis methods were used, as well as statistical methods for processing official data from the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine and the state budget web portal for citizens. The phasing of fiscal decentralization was substantiate using an institutional approach and elements of the concept of fiscal federalism. Findings. The article proves that fiscal decentralization reform in Ukraine had an uneven fiscal effect in the short term, but in the long term contributed to the growth of financial independence of local budgets. It has been established that in 2011â2014, the revenue base of local budgets was characterized by high dependence on interbudgetary transfers and the limited role of local taxes. The introduction of the reform in 2015 was accompanied by a temporary decrease in the share of own revenues due to the revision of personal income tax (PIT) crediting standards, but in 2016â2019, there was a gradual strengthening of the tax capacity of communities. It has been substantiated that the sharp reduction in official transfers in 2020 and 2022 was due to the completion of the administrative and territorial reform, the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition of the budget system to functioning under martial law. Originality. A comprehensive analysis of fiscal decentralization was conducted from the perspective of its pragmatic impact on the formation of local budget revenues in the long term. The author proposes an approach to the periodization of fiscal decentralization reform in Ukraine, taking into account institutional changes and crisis factors, and substantiates the relationship between the transformation of interbudgetary relations and the dynamics of tax revenues at the subnational level. Practical value. The obtained results can be used by state authorities and local self-government bodies in the formation of tax and budget policy, the improvement of interbudgetary equalization mechanisms and the development of a post-war strategy for the development of fiscal decentralization. Key words: fiscal decentralization, fiscal federalism, fiscal policy, local budgets, taxes, tax revenues, interbudgetary transfers, territorial communities, personal income tax.
Abstract Taxation justice and fiscal federalism are foundational pillars for building an inclusive, democratic, and sustainable nation. As countries diversify economically and socially, the role of equitable taxation becomes central to financing public goods, reducing inequality, and strengthening socio-political cohesion. Fiscal federalism, which concerns the distribution of financial powers and resources across central, state, and local governments, further reinforces the principles of subsidiarity, autonomy, and accountability required in a modern democratic state. This research paper analyses how taxation justice and fiscal federalism contribute to nation-building, examines structural gaps in existing fiscal arrangements, and highlights the need for transparent resource allocation, participatory governance, and decentralized fiscal empowerment. Using qualitative secondary data and descriptive analysis, the study demonstrates that taxation systems that are equitable, efficient, and progressive combined with a well-designed fiscal federalism framework help strengthen democratic participation, reduce regional disparities, support sustainable development, and stabilize public finance. The paper concludes by offering policy recommendations to enhance the equity and efficiency of taxation systems, thereby improving fiscal governance and promoting inclusive nation-building.
Regarding recently increasing governance phenomena, this article examines the modern conception of âfiscal decentralization,â drawing on previous major theoretical discussions over centuries especially from a perspective of political economy. As the financial and economic component of âautonomy,â fiscal decentralization may embrace both the technocratic and systematic notion of âmanagementâ and governmental and legitimate notion of âpolitical power.â In this regard, the essence of this political economic component of autonomy lies local governmentsâ endogenous growth in their economy and finance from internalizing external economies of scale under monopolistic competition among themselves through multilayered and pluralist âeconomicâ governance whose dynamics are nested constestingly within the central government. The representative political economic agent to determine the eventual allocation of resources in this dynamics is an innovated Tieboutian consumer-voter revealing preferences for local public goods according to their increasing âregional ability to payâ (RAP) when external economies of scale are internalised to expand the âscaleâ of regional economies or finances under monopolistic competition. This simplified new âmonopolistic competitionâ model of local public goods distinguishes the (long-run) fixed cost of local public fixed asset or (social overhead) capital from the scale-variant variable cost of local public service although its basic aggregate structure of linear function of output and consumption originates from the canonical functions of the ânew economic geography.â Our model of local public goods newly embraces externalities, and scale economies under monopolistic competition, although its welfare analysis, whose in-depth analytics and theoretical and policy implications are to be further investigated in subsequent research, have not presented.
ABSTRACT The pursuit of enhanced inclusive growth, a cornerstone of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), has generated extensive scholarly discourse, particularly regarding its interplay with fiscal decentralization in Africa. This study evaluates fiscal decentralization's impact on inclusive growth across 26 African nations (2002â2019) using fixed effects, DriscollâKraay, and generalized least squares (GLS) estimators, with robustness checks via Lewbel 2SLS, systemâGMM, and Kinky least squares. Three key findings emerge: first, fiscal decentralization consistently and significantly undermines inclusive growth across all specifications and metrics. Second, a Uâshaped relationship mirrors the Kuznets curve hypothesis, where initial decentralization exacerbates inequality before yielding equitable gains at higher income thresholds. Third, governance quality encompassing corruption control, regulatory efficacy, and political stability moderates this relationship, underscoring institutional frameworks' pivotal role. To mitigate disparities, policymakers must empower local authorities with greater fiscal responsibility over revenue collection and expenditure allocation, ensuring transparency and accountability. Concurrently, reforms should strengthen tax systems, optimize public spending, and enhance redistribution mechanisms, aligning decentralization strategies with broader objectives of welfare enhancement and sustainable growth. Related Articles Asongu, Simplice, and Nicholas M. Odhiambo. 2023. âThe Effect of Inequality on Poverty and Severity of Poverty in subâSaharan Africa: The Role of Financial Development Institutions.â Politics & Policy 51(5): 898â918. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12558 . Nchofoung, Tii, Simplice Asongu, Vanessa Tchamyou, and Ofeh Edoh. 2022. âGender, Political Inclusion, and Democracy in Africa: Some Empirical Evidence.â Politics & Policy 51(1): 137â55. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12505 . Asongu, Simplice A., Joseph Nnanna, and Vanessa S. Tchamyou. 2021. âFinance, Institutions, and Private Investment in Africa.â Politics & Policy 49(2): 309â51. https://doi.org/10.1111/polp.12395 .
Abstract This chapter discusses the Albanian model for the equalization of financial disparities between urban and rural municipalities, especially after the 2014 Territorial and Administrative Reform (TAR). This reform reduced the number of local governments, merging 373 rural and urban entities into 61 larger municipalities. It aimed to streamline and harmonize service provision across regions and municipalities, but challenges persist due to the limited financial resources of local governments. The chapter explores the countryâs intergovernmental financial framework, including recent reforms, which enhanced municipal responsibilities and financing. Despite reforms Albanian municipalities are heavily reliant on intergovernmental transfers, with unconditional grants playing a crucial role in equalizing financial resources. While the stability and allocation of the unconditional grants has improved since 2017, rural municipalities still struggle due to higher service costs and lower fiscal capacity compared to urban centers. There are also major differences between larger urban areas and the capital, Tirana. The chapter concludes that while Albania has made strides in decentralization, further reforms are necessary to address the ongoing fiscal inequalities between urban and rural local governments, underscoring the need for more robust equalization and financing mechanisms to bridge the gap between urban and rural municipalities.
Neither fiscal federalism nor austerity theory adequately explain shifts in US local government expenditure after the Great Recession. We assess spatial differences in local government expenditure composition using finance data for all local governments in the USA from 2007 to 2017. Overall, there was considerable stability in local expenditure patterns, despite pressures generated by the Great Recession. State decentralization, state aid, politics, local capacity, and need all affect local expenditure patterns. Panel regressions of education, social, and allocational expenditures show decentralization is associated with more redistributive expenditure at the local levelânot less, as fiscal federalism and austerity theory claim. However, decentralization of educational expenditure is associated with less local educational expenditure. State aid, by contrast, has a complementary effect on local education expenditure. Education spending dropped and then recovered, but state educational aid was found to privilege suburbs. Social expenditure grew during the Great Recession as most cities and counties maintained social welfare expenditures even in the face of fiscal constraints. Overall state aid for social welfare relieved local social expenditure, but it had a complementary effect on social welfare spending in states with historically high social welfare commitments (NY, CA, the Midwest). Localities in the Midwest faced greater fiscal stress, as state aid for social welfare plummeted in these states during the Great Recession. Despite the austerity faced by Midwestern counties, they maintained redistributive expenditure levels. US local governments are not austerity machines. They practice pragmatic municipalismâmeeting needs despite limited fiscal resources.
Lyudmyla Alekseyenko, Marta Dmytryshyn, Mykhailo Novitskyi
The article examines decentralization, a complex process of institutionalization that aims to transform public economic management by transferring authority from central authorities to territorial communities. It is proven that economic power is the dispositive capacity to make decisions that influence the distribution of resources and the vectors of regional development. The sustainability of decentralization requires the simultaneous strengthening of formal (legislative) and informal (public control, transparency, anti-corruption monitoring) institutions. It is argued that, under conditions of global financial transformations, economic power and its institutions require the introduction of a two-tier model of intergovernmental fiscal relations (State â Community) to eliminate financial imbalances, enhance transparency, and maximize the approximation of public services to the population. The study reveals a disbalance between the revenue and expenditure powers of local self-government authorities and the institutional inadequacy of the horizontal financial equalization mechanism. The primary forms of transferring authoritative powers â deconcentration, decentralization, and devolution â are explored, with an emphasis on fiscal decentralization as the central institutional mechanism for transmitting economic power. Two key aspects characterize the dual function of budgetary decentralization: it enhances the efficiency of service provision by adapting to local needs, and it creates incentives for communities to expand their revenue base and attract investment. It is determined that without sufficient fiscal powers, other forms of decentralization remain merely declarative. The highest level of institutionalization is achieved by granting territorial communities the right to independently establish the rates for local taxes and fees, ensuring a direct link between political decisions and fiscal responsibility. The principles of ecological security are revealed as competition among communities encourages them to integrate environmental standards into investment-attracting strategies, develop green technological hubs, and reallocate resources in favor of ecologically oriented projects. In the context of global financial transformations, prospective directions for further research â to ensure the transition from formal autonomy to the genuine financial self-sufficiency of communities â are identified as: enhancing the financial self-sufficiency of territorial communities, digitalization of monitoring and management processes, and developing managerial competencies about the principles of ecological security and inclusivity. Keywords: institutionalization; fiscal decentralization; local self-government authorities; finance; effects of decentralization; project financing; state credit programs; ecological security.
Abstract Although decentralization is frequently used to improve service delivery and development, the impact of symmetrical fiscal decentralization on local government authorities ( lga s) and fair development has not been thoroughly investigated. Whilst symmetrical decentralization allows lga s to collect revenue and finance development projects, there are disparities among lga s in their ability to collect sufficient revenue and implement development projects. This study goes beyond prior research by investigating the way differences in the financial capacity of lga s affect development in various regions of Tanzania using a review of recent audit reports and studies. Results indicate that while certain lga s have shown a strong ability to collect revenue, others struggle considerably, due to factors such as historical background, revenue sources, population variations, urban-rural divides, and citizen awareness. Furthermore, the intergovernmental transfers, intended as an equalization strategy, have led to lga s remaining highly dependent on the central government and subject to the central governmentâs financial capacity. This study concludes that symmetrical fiscal decentralization in Tanzania has not achieved its intended goals. Despite some lga s over-collecting revenue, most remain heavily dependent on intergovernmental transfers, which are inconsistently distributed and often politically influenced, thus intensifying uneven development trends. The study recommends updating the 1998 policy to integrate asymmetrical decentralization, amending the Local Government Acts of 1982, building capacity to lga s, and shifting the central governmentâs role from controller to supporter.
In decentralized governance, quadratic voting (QV)âwhere the cost of acquiring voting power is convexâoptimally aggregates voter preferences, outperforming simpler linear voting (LV) mechanisms when voters have complete information. But what if they do not? We show that uncertainty not only breaks QV optimality but can also cause it to underperform LV. Intuitively, this is because cost convexity can disincentivize better-informed voters from adequately conveying their private information. The optimal mechanism varies with the distribution of stakes and information among voters, implying that QVâs known advantages in preference aggregation do not readily extend to common-value information aggregation settings. This paper was accepted by Will Cong for the Special Issue on the Digital Finance. Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2024.08469 .
This paper examines the concepts of federalism, fiscal federalism, and fiscal decentralization, with a focus on the Indian context. It outlines the constitutional and institutional foundations of Indiaâs federal structure, tracing the historical evolution of fiscal decentralization from the colonial period to the post-independence era including pre- reform era. The study analyses revenue-sharing mechanisms, taxation policies, and grants-in-aid, alongside the roles of key institutions such as the Finance Commission, GST Council, and NITI Aayog. Findings highlight persistent vertical and horizontal imbalances, the positive impact of GST on state fiscal autonomy, and the continuing need for equitable and efficient fiscal arrangements. The paper concludes with policy recommendations aimed at strengthening cooperative federalism, enhancing state-level fiscal flexibility, and improving transparency in intergovernmental transfers.
The Buru Regency Government, as the party tasked with administering government, development, and public services, is required to report on regional financial accountability as the basis for assessing its financial performance. The purpose of this study is to assess regional financial performance using ratios from 2020 to 2024, consisting of: Regional Fiscal Independence; Effectiveness of PAD Management; Effectiveness of Regional Taxes; Degree of Fiscal Decentralization; Fiscal Dependency; and Growth of Regional Government Finance in Buru Regency. Using secondary data sourced from the Ministry of Finance website, this study concludes that the financial performance of the Buru Regency Government consists of: 1) the regional fiscal autonomy ratio is still very low with an instructive relationship pattern, indicating that the local government is not yet capable of financing its own government activities, development, and services to the community, and the local government still needs intervention from the central government; 2) the fiscal decentralization ratio indicates that the local government's ability to increase its own revenue (PAD) to finance its own development is still very limited; 3) the local tax effectiveness ratio and local revenue (PAD) indicate that the local government is less effective in realizing tax revenue and local revenue (PAD) from the set targets and real potential; 4) The fiscal dependency ratio shows that the Buru Regency local government is still highly dependent on assistance from the central and provincial governments compared to its own regional revenue; 5) The PAD growth ratio shows that the local government is poor/negative in maintaining and increasing PAD.
Danqi Chen, Yicheng Wang, Ahmed Muneeb Mehta, Muhammad Asif ¡ 6 authors
Decentralization has become a central theme in debates on economic growth, governance effectiveness, and sustainable development. This study undertakes a bibliometric analysis of 1,322 articles published between 2005 and 2024, retrieved from the Web of Science (WoS) and Scopus databases. Using VOSviewer and Bibliometrix (R-package), the analysis maps research productivity, collaboration networks, and thematic clusters. The results reveal two dominant clusters: fiscal decentralization and its socio-economic and environmental impacts and determinants of decentralization and economic growth . High-ranked journals such as Sustainability and Environmental Science and Pollution Research emerge as leading outlets, while the most productive countries include the China and United States . The findings highlight underexplored areas such as decentralizationâs role in renewable energy transitions and green finance. Framed within fiscal federalism and endogenous growth theory, this study contributes by identifying emerging trends, regional gaps, and policy implications for designing decentralization strategies that foster inclusive and sustainable economic growth. However, as a bibliometric study, it is limited in capturing case-specific or contextual details, which could be addressed in future qualitative or mixed-method research.
Abstract The global financial markets are being changed by DeFi's ability to remove central actors to facilitate peer-to-peer transactions. DeFi promotes efficiency, globalization, and economic inclusion, and at the same time, it has raised tax compliance. This study attempts to bridge the gaps by analyzing available scholarly and policy-oriented research, along with recent regulatory initiatives. The study concludes that the tax compliance challenges posed by DeFi's Decentralization, Shrouded Identity, and Composability Features are serious and can overcome the traditional tax reporting mechanisms. The study also suggests the broad directions of gaps in the literature to be addressed in policy-driven and empirical studies in the future. Keywords: DeFi, Blockchain, Tax Compliance, Fintech
In recent years, decentralization and regional governance reforms have become a key priority for many countries to promote sustainable territorial development. In Morocco, the 2011 Constitution introduced advanced regionalization, granting regional governments greater autonomy and responsibilities in financing and managing local development. However, more than a decade later, questions remain about the financial performance of these regions and their capacity to mobilize and manage resources effectively. This paper aims to assess the financial performance of Moroccan regions through a case study approach. It examines regional revenue structures, expenditure patterns, fiscal autonomy, and investment capacity to evaluate the alignment between financial capabilities and the objectives of advanced regionalization. Relying on data from official sources, this study aims to provide an analytical overview of regional financial capabilities within the framework of advanced regionalization, contributes to the discussion on regional finance and governance in Morocco and formulates policy-oriented insights to support more effective and sustainable territorial development.