Expanding Voice and Accountability through the Budgetary Process
While budgets can thus have a profound effect on the well-being of the
people, the people generally have very little say in the formulation of
budgets. In all societies, democratic or otherwise, budget preparation has
traditionally been almost an exclusive prerogative of the executive. The
legislature sometimes participates, but generally towards the very end of the
process and with varying degrees of inuence. The wider public, however, has remained virtually excluded. Moreover, the budgetary process tends to
remain shrouded in extreme secrecy, unmatched by any other aspect of
government activity with the sole exception of matters related to national
security.
