The role of the state in regional development: application of contemporary regional development theories in the case of selected support programs
Abstract
The state plays a prominent role in the process of regional development. However, deep discussions of the function of the state could be hardly found in regional development theories.
The aim of this dissertation thesis is to contribute to understanding of the role of the state as one of major actors in regional development via investigation of the regional impacts of public support programs. To provide concrete scrutiny, parliamentary grants were depicted through which deputies annually sent large sums of money from the state budget during its approval process in the Chamber of Deputies on projects with local impact.
The topic of parliamentary grants is a traditional topic for international studies within the concept of the so-called pork barrel politics, which includes all activities of political parties on the allocation of state finances (and posts) on the basis of clientelistic and political influences. This dissertation attempts to follow and in certain ways supplement these approaches.
The thesis consists of the two consecutive parts. First, a critical discussion of the theories of regional development in terms of the assessment of the significance of the state's role in regional development is provided.
Further, the methodological pros and coins of studying public support programs are drawn. Second, the outcomes of empirical study of parliamentary grants are presented as publication outputs which deals with spatial analysis of parliamentary grants and the implications of their spatial distribution for regional development, factors influencing the spatial distribution of parliamentary grants, the effect of MPs on ministerial grants after the finish of the parliamentary grants, and the local implications of parliamentary grants.
Apart from the summary and discussion of the main conclusions in the first section of the thesis, the particular articles also point to the other research challenges in the study of parliamentary and ministerial grants.