Relationship Between Development and Good Governance - Essay Example

Is Good Governance The Result Of Development Or The Precondition? Introduction This essay will try to assess the relationship between good governance and development in order to determine if good governance is a prerequisite or a precondition for development. There is a big difference between viewing good governance as a precondition and as a result of development. As a precondition for development, good governance is a necessary element for development to take place. When viewed in terms of a consequence of development, good governance is an effect of development. The essay takes the view that good governance is a precondition for development. This view is supported by several arguments that will be illustrated in the essay. One such argument is the fact that countries may have similar resources but different levels of development because of differences in governance. Good governance creates stability and a conducive environment for development to take off by motivating investors. Good governance is also based on integrity and moral values that limit chances of corruption and other factors that may derail development. Good governance promotes peace, respect for human rights, equality and people empowerment. These values enforce good relationships among people who work together to promote development. Finally, good governance ensures there is public trust in public leadership thereby supporting and approving development initiatives and facilitating the development process. Development Development is multidisciplinary term encompassing economic and sociopolitical elements of a society. Economic development refers to qualitative and quantitative changes in an economy. Development involves improvements in critical infrastructure, human capital, health, education, environmental conservation, and regional competitiveness of a specific country (Jega, 2007, pp. 87). Development also refers to transiting from agricultural based economies to industry-based economies and the general improvement of living standards through adoption of new technology. Two main metrics for determining development include poverty and Human Development Index (HDI). Poverty refers to a condition in which a person is cannot access basic resources due to inadequate finances and poor living standards. Development aims at reducing the level of poverty by decreasing the number of individuals living in poor conditions. Countries with a high poverty level have a low development record and are often classified as poor or less developed countries. On the other hand, developed countries, have a low poverty level. The HDI, on the other hand, measures various aspects of development including education, life expectancy and income index. HDI is important in ranking countries based on how they perform with regard to the main elements of HDI such as education, life expectancy and income index. Good Governance Good governance is a very wide concept that deals with different aspects of leadership including economic policies and a legal framework that recognizes the rule of law and human rights. The term is however, used with a lot of flexibility among scholars to imply either institutional or political processes that are necessary in achieving developmental goals (Laughlin, & Andringa, 2007, pp. 56). The term can also refer to a process whereby public institutions manage public resources, conduct public affairs in a manner that recognizes human rights, respect for rule of law, and free of bribery and corruption and other forms of abuse. Good governance entails a various issues including transparency, accountability, legitimacy, democracy, sustainability, tolerance, and efficiency in management of public resources. In contemporary politics, good governance is almost synonymous with democracy. Democracy refers to participation of the people in decision-making processes directly or through representation. Democracy ensures that leaders acquire power and authority legitimately through a legal process that is internationally recognized. Democratic governments are open, accountable and are based on respect human rights and the rule of law. It is almost impossible to think of democracy and good governance without discussing liberty or individual freedom (Todaro, & Smith, 2009, pp. 49). This is the recognition that all individuals ought to be protected from all kinds of oppression arising from domestic or international forces. Good governance also recognizes that all human beings are equal. Good governance therefore promotes human rights by protecting individuals against discrimination based on their age, sex, disability, race or religion among other factors. Another key element of good governance is integrity. This is the moral aspect of good governance and democracy and includes transparency, objectivity, and respect for merit. Good governance is therefore incompatible with corruption, nepotism, abuse of power or conflict of interest. Good governance ensures there is justice and accountability and that people achieve success only based on merit. This implies giving each person equal opportunity in employment, leadership, education, health and other aspects of the society. Respect for rule of law is another important element of democracy and good governance. This aspect of good governance promotes equality in law and recognizes that all individuals are equal in the eyes of the law. Governments are based on laws and not individuals. Each person from the most powerful to the least powerful should be subjected to the same sets of laws. Respect for rule of law also recognizes separation of power among different organs of and that each organ should perform its functions independently. Poor governance leads to widespread corruption, impunity, underdevelopment, and poverty. Poor governance also undermines public trust in public institutions or the government. Other challenges to governance include the use of public funds to support terrorism, money-laundering activities, and child and drug trafficking. Relationship between Development and Good Governance After understanding the basic elements of development and good governance, it is important to look at how development and good governance relate to each other. Both concepts emphasize on good leadership, inclusiveness, accountability, responsibility and responsiveness. Good leadership is essential in ensuring sustainable development. Good leadership promotes human rights and ensures that public institutions work in the interest of the public (Cooke, & Lazzeretti, 2008, pp. 90). Such policies include attracting investment, managing innovation and creating employment. Good leadership is also an important element in good governance because leaders are the ones entrusted with the responsibility of managing public resources. Good leadership promotes the interests of the public and therefore promoting values of good governance such as democracy (Peter, 2008, pp. 123). Good governance as a precondition of development The relationship between development and good governance is very important in understanding whether good governance is a precondition or a result of development. Good governance relates with how leadership manages resources to promote the general welfare and interests of the public. Based on this assertion, good governance is a necessary condition for development. Good governance has a vital role in promoting development (Jomo, & Chowdhury, 2012, pp. 156). There are various reasons to support this claim. First, good governance is necessary in establishing strong institutions that can foster development. Good governance is a more general concept that ensures leader use their position to influence the society positively through strengthening public institutions such as court systems, social systems and the legislature. These systems will then create a good environment for development to take place. It is difficult to have development without proper structures in place to protect people and their interests. Such structures can only be put in place with good governance. Governance is a good yardstick to determine how governments and public leaders use public resources. While some countries may have enormous deposits of natural resources, they still languish in poverty. Some countries in Africa and Asia have immense resources but they are still underdeveloped (Rita, 2000, pp. 81). The underdevelopment is as because of poor leadership where public leaders amerce public wealth and use it for their own benefit. Good governance requires high standards of integrity and morality and is incompatible with vices such as nepotism and corruption. In such cases where there are resources that can steer development but they are underutilized, it is easy to see that good governance is the only ingredient missing to steer development. To demonstrate that good governance is a precondition for development, it is also necessary to consider two or more countries with similar resources. In most cases, one of the two countries often performs better in development with various development initiatives and projects running to improve living standards of their people (Jomo, & Chowdhury, 2012, pp. 132). The other country will remain in poverty. This is because apart from having resources, it is necessary to have good governance in order to flourish. Good governance ensures there is efficient management of public resources with the interests of the people at hand in all development initiatives. Poor governance is likely to lead to civil conflicts, unrests, loss of trust in public institutions, corruption and other social evils. In such kind of scenario, it is not easy to push forward development projects no matter how much leaders try. Development can only thrive in a good environment where people coexist peacefully and trust their leaders. Countries with constant conflicts around the globe often suffer from leadership crises despite having the potential for growth and development (Jomo, & Chowdhury, 2012, pp. 136). Some countries in Africa, for instance Nigeria and Sudan have some of the world’s richest oil deposits. Conflicts in the regions have hindered any meaningful development in these countries over the years. This only indicates the importance of good governance in sustainable development. Good governance is deep rooted in values of democracy such as non-partisan elections, independent judicial system, media freedom, investment in people, and investment friendly governance (Peter, 2008, pp. 120). These elements of democracy encourage people to invest in different sectors of the economy, creating more employment opportunities and uplifting livelihood of citizens. Poor governance, on the other hand, is non-democratic, and does not promote investment. Poor governance will derail investment because investors may not be sure about security of their investments (Jomo, & Chowdhury, 2012, pp. 130). Good governance is therefore necessary for there to be meaningful and sustainable development. Principles and values of good governance encourage individuals to pursue their own lives using just means in an equitable and democratic environment. Individuals will be less inclined to look for support from the government and will endeavor to focus on developing their own businesses. This will complement other development projects of the government and will ensure that the country uses its available resources to create sustainable development. Another element of good governance that makes it a necessary precondition for development is stability. Stability refers to a harmonious relationship between various government departments with the support of the citizens. A stable government is free from insecurity, conflicts, corruption and financial mismanagement. Stability creates a good environment for development to flourish. Good governance regards everybody as being equal to the other. Equality is a fundamental precondition for development to take place because if development is based on discrimination of any form, it cannot be sustainable. Good governance ensures that there are structures in place to promote human rights and respect for the rule of law. Equality acts as an incentive for people to participate in development programs without being afraid of victimization. Sustainable development can only be attained if it is based on equality. Equality is only guarantees through good governance. Development cannot take place in a corrupt environment characterized by impunity, financial mismanagement, and disregard of public interests. Good governance promotes values such as integrity and accountability that ensure leaders take into account public interests, shun off from corrupt activities and manage public resources efficiently (UNDP, 2002, pp. 34). Good governance acts as a foundation upon which sustainable development can take place. Development is a process that requires great leadership skills to foster quick and effective decision-making to allocate resources and implement policies. Development also entails good planning, strategizing and implementing those strategies in a timely manner. Not all leaders can execute this mandate to ensure that sustainable development takes place. Only good governance can provide such skills. Good governance ensures that individuals in leadership positions have legitimacy, and authority to execute their functions. These leaders have the time and peace of mind to play their leadership role by planning and strategizing on how to initiate development projects. Poor leadership, on the other hand, is illegitimate, and may not have the peace of mind to plan and execute development projects. This shows that only good governance can lead to sustainable economic growth and development. Good governance is based on basic principles of democracy such as participation of the public in decision-making. Public participation ensures that the public have information on how leaders are managing their public resources and that the people can either give their views and opinions on development directly or through elected officials who represent their views. This process ensures that the public is fully aware of various development initiatives taking place and those that are pending. This will promote acceptance of development projects and ensure that development is sustainable in the long-term (Rita, 2000, pp. 76). Case Studies and statistics of good governance and development The European Union has elaborate structures to handle matters of good governance. The European Union Sustainable Development Strategy (EUSDS) is a policy framework of the EU to promote good governance at both local and regional level across Europe. The policy looks at various instruments of good governance such as participation of people in elections, adherence to laws and policies, as well as economic improvements. In 2013, there was a drop of 38% in reported cases of bad govern ace across Europe (UNDP, 2002, pp. 47). The report also notes increased online interaction between citizens and EU governments. Countries like the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy and Spain remain the biggest countries in Europe in terms of development and good governance. In other continents such as Africa, countries like Nigeria, Congo and South Sudan have not achieved great milestones with regard to development despite owning enormous minerals and natural resources (UNDP, 2002, pp. 45). Inadequate development in these counties is attributed to challenges with leadership over the years. Conclusion There is a cause-effect relationship between development and good governance. The discussion above highlights key issues related to both development and good governance. Both concepts are important in international development and policymaking. Good governance gives a broader view of leadership by focusing on different aspects of leadership whereas development only focuses on transformation of the society. Such transformation can only take place with good leadership that can initiate and manage sustainable development. Among the arguments explored in this essay to support the view that good governance is a precondition for development, include the fact that countries may have similar resources but different levels of development because of differences in governance. Good governance creates stability and a conducive environment for development to take off by motivating investors. Good governance is also based on integrity and moral values that limit chances of corruption and other factors that may derail development. Good governance promotes peace, respect for human rights, equality and people empowerment. These values enforce good relationships among people who work together to promote development. Finally, good governance ensures there is public trust in public leadership thereby supporting and approving development initiatives and facilitating the development process. Good governance is therefore a precondition for sustainable development. Reference Cooke, P., &Lazzeretti, L. 2008. Creative cities, cultural clusters and local economic development. Cheltenham, Glos, UK, Edward Elgar. http://site.ebrary.com/id/10310458. Jega, A. 2007.Democracy, good governance and development in Nigeria: critical essays. Ibadan, Spectrum Books Limited. Jomo K. S., &Chowdhury, A. 2012.Is good governance good for development? London, Bloomsbury Academic. http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=466937. Laughlin, F. L., &Andringa, R. C. 2007.Good governance for nonprofits: developing principles and policies for an effective board. New York, AMACOM. Milja, K. 2010. “Democracy and Conceptual Contestability: Reconsidering Conceptions of Democracy in Democracy Promotion”, International Studies Review 12 (3): 362 – 386 Peter, B. 2008. “From Evaluating Democracy Assistance to Appraising Democracy Promotion”, Political Studies, 56 (2): 414 – 434 Rita A. 2000. “Democratisation and Development Discourse” and “The Seductiveness of Good Governance” in Disciplining Democracy: Development Discourse and Good Governance in Africa, London: Zed Books Smith, B. C. 2007. Good governance and development. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan. Todaro, M. P., & Smith, S. C. 2009.Economic development.Harlow, Addison-Wesley. UNDP.2002. “Overview” Human Development Report 2002: Deepening Democracy in a Fragmented World available online at: http://hdr.undp.org/en/reports/global/hdr2002/ Read More