Political power and autonomy. A set of indicators for measuring those concepts at the local level

Abstract

The aim of this research note is to provide a set of indicators to help measure the concepts of local autonomy and power as a way of better depicting the current situation in municipalities. Through the development of each of these indicators, the way for measuring those concepts and also the units to measure them would be provided. Thus, to devise these indicators, economic-financial, legal and intergovernmental relations-related elements are used. To do this, a total of eleven indicators are proposed which taken together help to establish a clear picture of the situation of dependence (or opposite) in which municipalities may be, alongside several examples. Also, thanks to the homogeneity of these indicators, they may be utilized comparatively also looking at other countries.