Good Governance: Meaning and Concept

In terms of distinguishing the term governance from government, “governance” is what a “government” does. It might be a geo-political, a corporate government, a socio-political government, or any number of different kinds of government.

Governance is the dynamic exercise of management power and policy, while government is the instrument that does it.

Defining Good governance

Good is a term used with great flexibility; Depending on the context, good governance has been said at various times to encompass: full respect of effective participation, human rights, the rule of law,  multi-actor partnerships, and accountable processes, political pluralism, transparent and institutions, an efficient and effective public sector, legitimacy, access to knowledge, information and education, political empowerment of people, equity, sustainability, and attitudes and values that foster responsibility, solidarity and tolerance.

Origin and emergence of the concept of good governance

• “Good governance” was initially expressed in a 1989 World Bank publication.
• In 1992, the Bank published a report entitled, Governance and Development, which explored the concept further and its application.
• In 1997, the Bank redefined the concept “good governance” as a necessary precondition for development.

Good governance is to promote and sustain holistic and integrated human development. The central focus is to see how the government enables, simplifies and authorises its people, regardless of differences of caste, creed, class, and political ideology and social origin to think, and take certain decisions which will be in their best interest, and which will enable them to lead a clean, decent, happy, and autonomous existence.

“Good” about governance

Good Governance manages and allocates resources to respond to combined problems of its citizens. Hence states should be assessed on both the quality and the quantity of public goods provided to citizens. The policies that supply public goods are guided by principles such as human rights, democratization and democracy, transparency, participation and decentralized power sharing, sound public administration, accountability, rule of law, effectiveness, equity, and strategic vision.

The Human Development Report issued insists on “good” governance as a democratic exigency, in order to rid corruption, provides rights, the means, and the capacity to participate in the decisions that affect their lives and to hold their governments accountable for what they do.

Basic features or elements of good governance

Good governance has 8 major characteristics. It is participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive and follows the rule of law. It assures that corruption is minimized, the views of minorities are taken into account and that the voices of the most vulnerable in society are heard in decision-making. It is also responsive to the present and fixture needs of society.

Participation

Good governance requires that civil society has the opportunity to participate by both men and women during the formulation of development strategies. This aspect of governance is an essential element in securing commitment and support for projects and enhancing the quality of their implementation. Participation needs to be informed and organized. This means freedom of association and expression and an organized civil society should go hand in hand.

Rule of law

Good governance requires a fair, predictable and stable legal framework enforced impartially. Full protection of human rights, especially minorities should be covered. Impartial law enforcement requires a judiciary to be independent and police force should be impartial and incorruptible.

Transparency

Transparency in government is an important precondition for good governance, and those decisions taken and their enforcement are done in a manner that follows rules and regulations. Transparency ensures that enough information is provided and that it is provided in easily understandable forms and media.

Responsiveness

Good governance requires the institutions to serve all stakeholders in a given time-frame. There are several actors and viewpoints and the different interests in society needs mediation. The best interest of the community should be analysed and achieved which requires a broad and long-term perspective on what is needed and how to achieve the goals of sustainable development.

Equity and inclusiveness

A society’s wellbeing depends on ensuring that all men and women have opportunities to improve or maintain their well-being. This requires all groups, especially the most vulnerable, should have opportunities to improve or maintain their standards of life.

Effectiveness and efficiency

Good governance means Processes and institutions produce results that meet needs while making the best use of resources. The concept of efficiency covers the sustainable use of natural resources and the protection of the environment.

Accountability

It is a key requirement of good governance. Both Public and private sector and civil society organizations must be accountable to the public and to their institutional stakeholders. An organization or an institution is accountable to those who will be affected by its decisions or actions. Accountability can be enforced only with transparency and the rule of law.

Rule of Law

Rule of law supports the demand for equity and fairness and means to be impartial, not corrupt and to protect the human rights of all. These are the leading criteria becoming benchmarks one has to keep in mind when striving for good Governance in the decision-making processes.

Significance of good governance

Kautilya in his treatise Arthashastra propounded the qualities of good governance by the ruling king as follows: In the happiness of his subject lies his happiness, in their welfare his welfare, whatever please himself he shall not consider good.

India follows republic, democratic and secular form of governance, and the values that are enshrined in our constitution. The term “governance” means a political unit for the functioning of policy-making for both the political and administrative units of Government. Good governance is based on the conviction that man has the ethical and rational ability, as well as the absolute right, to govern himself with motive and just. The concept of good governance is associated with capable and real administration in democratic set up.

In practical terms, there are three particular features of good governance that makes it significance in the working of the government.

• First, the empowerment and capacity of government to frame and implement policies and discharge functions.
• Second, the form of political will.
• Third, the process by which authority is exercised in the management of country’s economic and social resources for development.

It also reflects the attitudes of the people towards the functioning of the so many agencies of the government. “Good” governance promotes gender equality, sustains the environment, enables citizens to exercise personal freedoms, and provides tools to reduce poverty, deprivation, fear, and violence. The UN views good governance as participatory, transparent and accountable. It encompasses state institutions and their operations and includes private sector and civil society organizations.

Good governance is significant in public institutions to conduct and manage public affairs and resources to guarantee human rights in free of abuse and corruption, and with due regard for the rule of law.

It is significant because it promises to deliver on the promise of human rights: civil, cultural, economic, political and social rights. Good governance is thus, a function of installation of positive virtues of administration and elimination of vices of dysfunctionalities.

It makes the government work effective, credible and legitimate in administrative system and citizen-friendly, value caring and people-sharing.