Maximizing well being through democratic decentralization

Pages:449-452
Anjali Malik and Sarvdeep Kohli (Department of Psychology, M. D. University, Rohtak, Haryana)

Individual well being represents people’s evaluation of their lives, and includes happiness, pleasant emotions, life satisfaction and a relative absence of the unpleasant moods and emotions. Well being depends not only on subjective factors but objective factors as well which include, among other things, the socio-political milieu in which the individual finds himself. Since governance is the process of decision-making and the process by which decisions are implemented, an analysis of governance focuses on the formal and informal actors involved in decision-making and implementing the decisions made. Democratic decentralization is said to enhance governance, citizens’ empowerment, and the quality of democracy, creating a virtuous cycle to improve the well-being of the citizens. Effective political institutions and decentralized decision making play crucial roles in enhancing happiness or well being of people.