Trust, Democratic Participation and Communal Governance in Western Mali

In 1999, Mali held its first elections for local government by communal councils, following national decentralization. This chapter addresses whether elected local government in two communes in western Mali has brought more legitimacy to local officials in the eyes of citizens. Second, it asks whether this new form of government exacerbated or lessened patterns of inequality. The data show that legitimacy has grown since the election of local government, based primarily on the trust between the population and councillors who share similar culture and backgrounds. This facilitates negotiation and the ability of the residents to argue for their needs. Performance of local government has improved somewhat, but lack of communal resources stymied development plans. Communal councils here have had only minor effects on local inequality. Residents of Manantali town, more educated, with better connections and more resources, have not monopolized benefits, because most of them are transient and employ their political resources nationally. Local elites emphasized the unity of local villages rather than publicly seeking individual advantage, as all faced problems caused by the disruptions following construction of the Manantali dam thirty years earlier. Women could gain public access as groups, somewhat attenuating the effects of patriarchy.