Unit 1 : Theories of Local Governance

1.1 Governance and Development

Prepared by:
Lumanti Shrestha
26 March, 2023
For
MARD, Padma Kanya Multiple Campus
 Concept of Governance
• Governance refers to the exercise of political and
administrative authority at all levels to manage a
country’s affairs.
• It comprises the mechanisms, processes and
institutions, through which citizens and groups
articulate their interests, exercise their legal rights,
meet their obligations and mediate their differences.
• The institutional and human capacities for governance
determine the way in which the effectiveness of public
policies and strategies is attained, especially in service
delivery.
• British Council, emphasizes that "governance" is a broader
notion than government
• "Governance involves interaction between the formal
institutions and those in civil society.
• Governance refers to a process whereby elements in
society wield power, authority and influence and enact
policies and decisions concerning public life and social
upliftment.“
• Webster's Dictionary (1986:982) is of some assistance,
indicating only that governance is a synonym for
government, or "the act or process of governing,
specifically authoritative direction and control". This
interpretation specifically focuses on the effectiveness of
the executive branch of government.
• The World Bank's focus on governance reflects the worldwide thrust
toward political and economic liberalization. Such a governance approach
highlights issues of greater state responsiveness and accountability, and
the impact of these factors on political stability and economic
development. In its 1989 report, From Crisis to Sustainable Growth, the
World Bank expressed this notion as follows:
• "Efforts to create an enabling environment and to build capacities will be
wasted if the political context is not favourable. Ultimately, better
governance requires political renewal. This means a concerted attack on
corruption from the highest to lowest level. This can be done by setting a
good example, by strengthening accountability, by encouraging public
debate, and by nurturing a free press. It also means ... fostering
grassroots and non-governmental organisations such as farmers'
associations, co-operatives, and women's groups".
 Key actors of Governance

State/ government

Actors of
Governance

Market
Civil Society
 Role of state/government
• Making policies and legal rules
• Ensure economic sustainability
• Develop essential infrastructure
• Provide fundamental public services
• Environment protection
• Promote and regulate and facilitate private and
non-government sectors
 Role of Market
• Operate industries and business
• Create employment opportunities
• Production and economic improvement
• Novelty and invention
• Promote competition and industriousness
 Role of Civil Society
• Non-profit oriented, volunteer, non-political
activities
• Act as pressure group
• Run Social awareness program
• Monitoring citizen
• Skill enhancement and empowerment
• Protection of human rights
 Major objectives of Government
• Regulatory –security, development, traffic, follow
laws, (related to 3 organs of government)
• Management- natural and human resource
management
• People/ social mobilization- participation,
employment, equal distribution of outcome
• Service delivery- education, health,
communication, electricity, water supply, social
justice
 Features/ Characteristics of Governance
• Accountability
• Legality and legitimacy
• Fair and reliable judicial system
• Participatory governance
• Use of state power
• Law and procedure
• Civil supremacy
• Complex and comprehensive
• Transparency
• Freedom of information and expression
 Features/ Characteristics of Governance
• Separation of power, check and balance
• Cooperation with civil society
• Role of government
• Managerial style
• Vision
• Changeability
• Multiple objectives and expectation
• Continuous system
• Mirror of the society
• Rule of law
 Fundamental Aspects of Governance System
• Organs of State- population, province, government, sovereignty
• Organs of Government- interrelationship among legislative,
executive, judiciary
• Civil supremacy –citizen have supreme power
• Fundamental and human rights –
• Foreign relation – economic, social, technical collaboration for
world governance system
• Accountability system- be disciplined, regulated, transparent
• Peace and security – for trust from the citizen
• Democracy and good governance- popular worldwide due to 8
characteristics of GG
• Resource mobilization and effective public service delivery- for
development, effective public service delivery by proper utilization
of tax
 Dimension/ scope of Governance
• Political dimension- promotion of democracy, governance, policy making,
identifying and solving public voices/ problems
• Economic dimension- economic growth, stability, improve HDI, economic
equity and equality, justified distribution,
• Social dimension- social balance - brotherhood, fraternity, honesty, ethics
• Managerial dimension- efficiency of government, economic liberalization,
effectiveness of public institute, well administrative, human resource
development, capacity enhancement of the local, environmental
protection, population management, structural management
• Institutional dimension- support, promotion and protection of public
institutions, state, policy, civil society, construction of structural method
for governing/ governance.
• Ethical dimension- ethical basis, corruption free society, transparency, fair
administration, good relationship with service seekers, responsiveness,
ethical values etc.
 Level of Governance
• National level
• Supranational level (trans-boundary)
• Sub-national level
• Jurisdicational level
 New Trends of Governance
• Democratic Governance- self governing through their
representative, open market, liberalization, competitive
and transparent society, utilization of economic, social,
political freedom, participation based governance
system, protection of society and culture
• Rule of Law- governance based on law, all are equal
according to law, law is made by representative of local
area, London has the best rule of law in the world,
• Good Governance- power, right and responsibility of
the actors of government for satisfaction of citizens by
active participation of people at all level for service
delivery
• Responsive Governance- policy, work, programme,
decision, evaluation of work done, right to
information,
• Transparency and Open Governance- economic
liberalization -1990- achievement of governance to be
made transparent to the citizen
• Multi-level Governance: involvement of multiple
sectors- government, private sector, cooperatives, civil
society, NGOs, national and international
organizations
• Political vs Economics Governance- influence of
politics from different countries- China vs USA, China
vs India, etc.
• Smart Governance- use of modern technology
and ICT as a medium for transparent and
sustainable environment
• Focus on skill enhancement, community
representative, mobile activities, novelty
Model of smart governance
a. Government to citizen (G2C) Model
b. Government to Business (G2B) Model
c. Government to Government (G2G) Model
d. Government to Employee (G2E) Model
• Cooperative Governance- important means of
overall and economic development
• Team
• Strategic leadership
• Democracy
• Healthy Governance- competition, good
governance, permission from the people
• Selection of representative
 Indicators of Governance
• Voice of Accountability
• Political Stability and absence of violence/
terrorism
• Government effectiveness
• Regulatory quality/ capacity
• Rule of law
• Control of corruption
 Good governance
• the notion of what is good is thus defined by the desired
outcome, which varies from one situation to another.
Two broad governance issues
• 1. The first refer to to institutions of governance, including
public administration and public services refers to the
sound management of resources, delivery of and equitable
access to public services, responsiveness to the views of
citizens and their participation in decisions that concern
them -better personnel management, transparency in
public finance, a curb on corruption, citizen participation
and enhanced accountability in the fields of education,
health, finance and other development sectors
 Good governance
• 2. second broad governance issue is concerned with concepts
of democracy and the rule of law, including rights-based claims
to equality before the law, judicial independence, participation
in the conduct of public affairs, electoral integrity, political
plurality, freedom of expression and media independence
• These claims include demands for gender equality and the
inclusion of youth and marginalized groups. Integral to effective
implementation is an informed and empowered citizenry
engaged in transparent and accountable governance processes.
Free and pluralistic media are considered essential to such ends
as is the right to freely access information held by public bodies