Local government in the United States have been collaborating across institutional boundaries, collaborating with other local government to share their resources in the delivery of goods and services in their communities. Although local governments have collaborated for a long time, mixed analysis resulted on which form of government is most effective in the delivery of goods and services based on structure and stability of their financial conditions. This dissertation introduces technology as a key component in the collaborative process in implementing smart initiatives among communities. This dissertation uses surveys conducted from ICMA and Smart City Council, 2016, and a case study comparing two smart cities to test the hypotheses; which structure of government is more effective and whether an increase in financial condition encourages more collaborative efforts. The data reveals that the council-manager form of government is more efficient, however, in contrast, to the case study which indicated that both forms of government were efficient in implementing smart initiatives, however, differences in collaborative efforts were seen based on structure. The results of this analysis provide significant new information for both scholars and practitioners.

O objetivo desta dissertação é investigar o fragmento III.80-82 das Histórias, no qual Heródoto narra um debate entre três nobres persas, ocorrido em 522 a.C.. O que estava em discussão era a melhor forma de governo a ser adotada pela Pérsia após a morte do usurpador Smérdis. No chamado debate persa, Otanes propôs a adoção de uma constituição democrática, Megabizo sugeriu a instituição de uma oligarquia, e Dario, por fim, defendeu a manutenção da monarquia a ideia que venceu o debate. Nossa proposta é analisar a construção de um pensamento político nas Histórias, com o suporte da filosofia política, de modo a demonstrar que o autor pode ser classificado como um pensador político não-sistemático. Além disso, esse estudo demonstra a possibilidade da leitura do documento indicar a existência de seis formas de governo, sendo três constituições boas, e suas três versões degeneradas. / The objective of this study is investigate about the fragment III.80-82 of Herodotus Histories, in which the author describes a debate between three noble Persians, in 522 B.C.. They have been discussing the best form of government to be adopted in Persia after the death of Smérdis the usurper. In the Persian debate, Otanes proposed a democratic constitution, Megabyzus suggested an oligarchy, and after then Darius defended the maintenance of the monarchy the idea such win the debate. Our goal is to analyze the construction of a political thought in Histories, with the support of political philosophy, to show the author can be considered as a political thinking non-systematized. Besides, this work demonstrates a possibility to understand the document like a scheme of the six forms of government, with three good constitutions, and another three its bad versions.

O objetivo desta dissertação é investigar o fragmento III.80-82 das Histórias, no qual Heródoto narra um debate entre três nobres persas, ocorrido em 522 a.C.. O que estava em discussão era a melhor forma de governo a ser adotada pela Pérsia após a morte do usurpador Smérdis. No chamado debate persa, Otanes propôs a adoção de uma constituição democrática, Megabizo sugeriu a instituição de uma oligarquia, e Dario, por fim, defendeu a manutenção da monarquia a ideia que venceu o debate. Nossa proposta é analisar a construção de um pensamento político nas Histórias, com o suporte da filosofia política, de modo a demonstrar que o autor pode ser classificado como um pensador político não-sistemático. Além disso, esse estudo demonstra a possibilidade da leitura do documento indicar a existência de seis formas de governo, sendo três constituições boas, e suas três versões degeneradas. / The objective of this study is investigate about the fragment III.80-82 of Herodotus Histories, in which the author describes a debate between three noble Persians, in 522 B.C.. They have been discussing the best form of government to be adopted in Persia after the death of Smérdis the usurper. In the Persian debate, Otanes proposed a democratic constitution, Megabyzus suggested an oligarchy, and after then Darius defended the maintenance of the monarchy the idea such win the debate. Our goal is to analyze the construction of a political thought in Histories, with the support of political philosophy, to show the author can be considered as a political thinking non-systematized. Besides, this work demonstrates a possibility to understand the document like a scheme of the six forms of government, with three good constitutions, and another three its bad versions.

[pt] Democracia formas de governo em Espinosa e Maquiavel: outra perspectiva sobre a Modernidade analisa os meios através dos quais a tradição espinosano-maquiaveliana, uma alternativa a outras vertentes teóricas da Modernidade, compreende os fundamentos jurídico-constitucionais que sustentam as formas de governo e, particularmente, a democracia, bem como suas estratégias de conservação. Pretende-se responder ao seguinte questionamento: em que medida esta tradição oferece alternativas para a compreensão dos alicerces das formas de governo e, em particular, da democracia, de modo permitir o entendimento dos meios necessários à conservação daqueles princípios constitucionais que sustentam o Estado de Direito? Acredita-se, como hipótese, que a duração de uma forma de governo instituída exige a incorporação da dinâmica conflitiva dos afetos às estruturas que promovem a gestão dos assuntos comuns do Estado, o que permitiria a canalização da potência constituinte e, consequentemente, ofereceria meios para o aperfeiçoamento da própria forma de governo. Este estudo alinha-se à vertente das pesquisas de caráter eminentemente compreensivo, uma vez que se volta a um exame qualitativo dos conceitos traçados a partir da teoria crítica da fortuna. Ante a variação das circunstâncias, a conservação da dinâmica afetiva de um governo democrático requer um retorno aos princípios para promover a reintrodução do desejo de liberdade, uma vez que a república deve estar aberta à participação e livre de meios que concentrem as decisões a gestão dos assuntos comuns do Estado, mantendo-as sempre abertas as discussões, bem como os próprios canais de decisão à população. / [en] Democracy and forms government by Spinoza and Machiavelli: another perspective of the Modern Era analyzes the means by which the Spinoza- Machiavelli tradition presents itself as an alternative to the mainstream constitutional thought developed after their works. The understanding of the constitutional foundations that support not only democracy, but the other forms of government as well intends to demonstrate its conservation strategies by answering the following question: to what extent does this tradition offer alternatives to improve the understanding of the forms of government and, in particular, of democracy? In order to allow an understanding of the means necessary for the conservation of those constitutional principles that maintain the rule of law, it is believed that every government needs to incorporate the conflictive dynamic of the affects to its structures and, therefore, promote a plural management of the political affairs. This is the basis which would offer means for the improvement of the form of government itself. Methodologically, this study develops a qualitative examination of the concepts drawn from the critical theory of fortune in order to comprehend the varying circumstances that allow the preservation of that democratic dynamics that governments require. In this matter, a return to those principles experienced by past democratic experiments should clarify the means to the reintroduction of the desire for freedom. Throughout the opening to the participation that involves the absence of means that concentrate decisions in the just a few people, every form of government keeps power in its population hands.

This dissertation examines the effects of tax and expenditure limitations (TELs) stringency and its interaction with revenue diversity and the council-manager form of government on municipal general fund expenditure. TELs are explicit rules that states impose to reduce local government spending. TELs stringency varies from state to state, leading to difficulties in assessing their impact across the nation. This dissertation proposes a new means for measuring the stringency of TELs imposed on local governments. Factor analysis is utilized, and then factor scores are calculated to identify degrees of TELs stringency. This study contends that higher levels of TELs stringency are associated with lower local government spending. However, the effectiveness of TELs is dependent on revenue diversity and the form of government. This study suggests that both revenue diversity and the council-manager form of government mitigate the impacts of TELs stringency on local government spending. Panel data from 2007 to 2011 from 1,508 municipalities are utilized. This study finds that higher levels of TELs stringency are associated with lower levels of municipal general fund expenditures per capita. However, TELs stringency is effective only when revenue diversity is low and when cities have a form of government other than council-manager. These results are generally consistent with the theory presented in this dissertation.

[pt] Não há política sem direito e nem direito sem política. A relação de interdependência deve-se estabelecer tendo em vista a justiça. E é a razão que deve estruturar o direito visando o exercício da política, em nome da justiça. São essas interseções que emergem da obra de Norberto Bobbio, formando o pano de fundo de suas reflexões. Neste sentido, o seu pensamento é duplamente convergente. Primeiramente, porque busca, de forma permanente, a ligação entre direito e política, examinando as suas fundamentações e influências recíprocas. Em segundo lugar porque constroi, com espírito conciliador e reformador, o diálogo entre campos ideológicos opostos. Um diálogo estabelecido com base na razão, que, por sua vez, deve convergir em direção à justiça. A sua obra nos campos da Filosofia Política, da Filosofia do Direito e da Teoria do Estado insere-se num período de forte polarização da Europa no pós-Segunda Guerra. O filósofo e jurista italiano esteve entre os mais importantes interlocutores dos embates travados no século XX. Sua fecunda produção intelectual, de notável abrangência, constitui uma ferramenta segura para a análise isenta dos acontecimentos políticos no mundo contemporâneo. / [en] There can be no politics without law and no law without politics. The interdependent relationship of these two concepts must be established with Justice as its goal. Reason must shape law for the exercise of politics in the name of Justice. These are the elements that continually intersect in the works of Noberto Bobio and form the background of his thinking. Thus, his thoughts are doubly convergent. Firstly, because they seek a permanent link between Politics and Law, and secondly, because they attempt, both in a conciliatory and reforming manner, to pave the way for a dialogue between opposing ideological camps, a dialogue based on reason pointed in the direction of Justice. Bobio s works in the fields of Political Philosophy, The Philosophy of Law and the Theory of State emerged during a period of intense polarization in Europe after the Second World War. He was at the forefront of the most important debates on these matters that took place during the XX Century. Bobio s profound intelectual production, noteworthy for its all embracing scope, is certainly a dependable instrument for analyzing the political events in the world today.

In 1994, South Africa adopted intergovernmental relations (IGR) to facilitate service delivery. Sections 40-41 of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996, link service delivery with normative aspects of IGR, which include cooperation, transparency, accountability, mutual support, and coherence. A coherent implementation of IGR was subsequently emphasised by the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act 13 of 2005. However, South Africa continues to experience service delivery challenges, especially in marginalised and poor communities in the current and former informal settlements. The selected Diepsloot was established as an informal settlement in 1995 and has been under an in situ upgrade programme. The study’s focus was on the provision of potable water in the City of Johannesburg with specific reference to Diepsloot. A case study approach was used to assess lived experiences among the actors within the intergovernmental context of cooperative government. A qualitative methodology was utilised to source data about intergovernmental interactions among actors from the public institutions by means of semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis. Lastly, a focus group was utilised for members of the ward committees in Diepsloot. The study concluded that IGR system is not used adequately to support Diepsloot to access potable water in accordance with an established standard. In essence, the IGR system lacks an integrated approach to reverse a legacy of informality. To facilitate an IGR improvement, the study’s recommendations were three-fold: (i) provision of integrated support to the City of Johannesburg for Diepsloot despite erroneous assumption that metropolitan municipalities are self-sufficient, (ii) standardisation of potable water provision in Diepsloot by means of integrating IGR institutional responses, and (iii) institutionalisation of IGR engagements with other cities. To this end, the study proposed a model of integrated intergovernmental support to improve potable water provision and, by extension, other related services in Diepsloot. / Public Administration / D.P.L. (Public Administration)