Perceived benefits from direct popular participation in public affairs have been grossly exaggerated, especially when viewed in the context of devolution and public governance in developing societies. The overblown assessment is due mainly to the fact that devolution has been viewed in terms largely of the direct and immediate benefits it bestows on the people of local communities, and that the net positive external and interaction effects of community activities on society as a whole have been largely ignored. A number of institutional factors further aggravate the adverse consequences of devolution on social welfare, foremost among them being the prevalence of corruption and the lack of managerial skills at the local level. While devolution is an essential ingredient of political reform, we should be cautious of its uncritical and loose implementation
