Paolo Kernahan
ACHIEVING perfection in the way a civil society is governed is impossible. Still, there are clear, undeniable markers that define good governance. It can be hard to put your finger on what those markers are, particularly if they’re either absent or muted largely by countervailing forces of corruption, political expediency, classism, racism, incompetence and sloth – all unworthy substitutes for the real thing.
The outcome of recent elections in the US, a country which is by no means a standard-bearer of good governance, swung open a window into how ordinary people erroneously perceive how government works. It was also an excellent example of the deeply flawed nature of the democratic process.
Citizens living in the fallacy of electoral democracies are entrusted with making a decision that’s both rooted in individualism and civicism, the latter reflecting the best interests of the group, the whole – the community. This, of course, produces mixed and often terrible results as personal values and ideologies aren’t always shared, because we are all different.
That’s why it’s useful to have a broad framework for good governance that applies equally (as far as can be managed) across the diversity of interests, religions, classes, races and socio-economic strata of any society.
Without the hard metrics of a functioning society, the vacuum is filled with those unworthy alternatives – religion, prejudice, superstition and other feelings that abjure facts.
So what does an effective government look like to people for whom the concept is entirely alien, like us here in TT. Because “life sweet” isn’t true for everyone. The responsibility of the state is to foster conditions for an equitable, safe, prosperous and progressive society.
A government, through policies, programmes, investments and strategic management must maintain law and order, protect the rights and security of citizens, ensure access to essential services like healthcare, education, housing and infrastructure, and work to tackle the systemic inequalities that are part of the bargain in any society.
These are features of the social contract citizens and the state both sign when we choose to live together within the fragile framework of civilisation.
Civilians pay taxes, obey the law, raise families with the values that encourage a harmonious existence within the matrix, etc. In exchange, the state is expected to meet the measures of good governance to keep the social contract healthy and whole.
It goes further. An effective government pursues economic policies and manages a nation’s resources and revenues to promote growth. Astute leadership cultivates a spirit of innovation, empowering communities and creating the substrate on which all citizens, irrespective of their backgrounds, can flourish.
The primary job of a government is to foster a just, safe, prosperous and progressive society. It must ensure law and order supplants the default state of chaos, guard the rights and lives of people, and deliver essential services. An
