A look at open government at the subnational level

the institutional index of the municipal open government in the main cities of Brazil

Abstract

(Winner paper: Junior Researchers Award "Joan Prats" 2018)

Using qualitative and quantitative research approaches and techniques, the present investigation of a descriptive and exploratory nature, tries to analyze the current stage of implementation of open government in the 2 largest cities of each State of Brazil, thus with the total of 52 cities whose purpose was to measure the Institutional Index of Municipal Open Government (IIGAM-Brazil) that could indicate the state of the presence of the paradigm of open government in institutional mode in subnational governments (Dias and Oliveira, 2016; Dias, Garcia and Camilo, 2017 ). With the data of the index made correlations with other socioeconomic data, to point out the performance of the local governments and with this to subsidize the reflections on the advances, limits and challenges posed in the theme of Open Government subnationals in Brazil. The first data analysis point out that the dimensions of collaboration and participation are very deficient, which need greater attention by the government, mainly in the Northern region of Brazil. Transparency already occurs with several mechanisms, since there are laws that oblige municipalities to meet certain requirements of active transparency, but it does not fully comply with the law of the law on access to public information. It is possible to identify the best IIGAM-Brazil records convergent with better Human Development Index and with greater digital insertion of the population. Main findings also note that the development of municipalities through the strengthening of education, health and economy has an impact on the elimination of restrictions on options and opportunities to exercise rational action, in order to expand political, economic and social freedom (Sen, 2000).