Conclusion

The problem with local government is that it faces declining financial sustainability at a time of generally growing disillusionment amongst its citizens. Contemporary reforms—consolidation, fiscal institutions, and shared services—when conducted competently may arrest some of the decline in financial sustainability. However, contemporary reforms will do nothing to redress disillusionment with what is supposed to be the system of government closest to the people. In this book I have proposed, instead, a raft of radical reforms based around our Comprehensive Theory of Local Government that seeks to correct the extant imbalance between human dignity and the common good, as well as directly combat rational ignorance. At the core of my ideas is a belief that citizens are competent to make important decisions regarding their own government and lives. Indeed, my own experience working with struggling communities suggests to me that the average citizen, when appropriately informed, is much better at making decisions than their ‘political leaders’. If we truly believe this and act on the courage of our convictions, then the reforms that I have outlined will mitigate the problems of local government. If however, we continue to both deny the competency and dignity of our citizens then we can indeed expect local government be ‘overwhelmed and crushed by almost infinite tasks and duties’ (Pius XI 1931, paragraph 78). The choice is ours—or rather it should be!