In early 1998, the World Bank prepared apaper on the decentralization and participation policiesoutlined but not fully implemented by the Congolesegovernment in the early days of the third republic. If thecountry has since receded into war, it is perhaps in partbecause these ideas were never properly put into practice.Rather than de-legitimizing them, the renewed war makes iteven more important that these ideas be heard.Centralization has a long history in the Congo. Though withdifferent justifications and characteristics, centralgovernment dominated decision-making and execution duringboth the colonial period and the second republic. Regardingdecision-making, "everything came from above withoutany explanations". Though local authorities had certainpowers, these were more often than not abused rather thanused in the interest of the population. Infrequent contactbetween central authorities and the population resulted inmany provinces and territories being, and remaining,enclaved without access to neighboring regions, much less tothe outside world.
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