About this Blog
Improvements in global economic trends have taken place over the last decade: macro-economic stability improved, short-term growth picked up, and gains in health, infrastructure and technology took place. This is in contrast with the quality of governance around the globe, which has not kept apace. Granted, the evidence shows that improvements in governance and in controlling corruption did take place in a number of countries, suggesting that leadership, political will and civil society can make a difference. Yet other countries experienced a deterioration, and many others are muddling along. In many countries corruption and misgovernance are still rife, and their citizens are mired in poverty amidst a tiny rich elite.
Meanwhile, our understanding of governance has progressed. Empirical analysis undertaken over the past decade given insights and some answers about the causes, costs and consequences of good vs. bad governance. We have learnt something about the links between governance and corruption, on the one hand, and progress on the economic, social, and human rights dimensions, on the other.
Yet our understanding is incomplete. Many crucial questions remain unanswered and open to vigorous debate. How do we make sense of the vast and disparate amount of data on governance that exists nowadays? Why have countries around the globe fared so differently on governance? Why do technocratic solutions, which experts claim can make a difference, so often go unimplemented? What does this mean for improving the effectiveness of donor aid to developing countries? Why is it that the same legal or regulatory initiative can have such different impact across countries? And how come so many countries that nowadays hold elections and are labelled as formal democracies do not have a free press?
Yes, lessons from a number of countries are emerging from country experiences, and from rigorous research and evaluation. But the extent to which they can be replicated in other countries and contexts remains open to debate. Unlike macro-economic stabilization programs, there is no one ‘chosen’ template for governance reform. In this spirit, my governance blog will try to bring up difficult issues and country cases and attempt to present various perspectives, akin to a ‘point-counterpoint’ format. Such perspectives will differ, yet they will be grounded on rigorous empirical analysis. Thus, relevant evidence and data will be featured as well.
This blog therefore aims to provide an open and participatory space to share findings and debate crucial issues of governance and corruption around the globe. A dynamic blog discussion space can become a tool for better governance in itself, by providing access to information and giving a voice to many – an antidote to elite control, lack of transparency and censorship. Through open access and debate I also want to provide an opportunity to share innovations in the field, from concrete experiences and research findings, pointing to new directions that may help in the quest for improved governance around the globe.
As a Chilean, and thus coming from a successful developing country, I take the liberty to stress the notion of good governance ‘around the globe’, because of the conviction –and evidence– that improved governance by rich country governments and multinationals is also of paramount importance. This is a collective global challengee, and also within each country: the executive, judiciary, parliament, private sector and civil society working in tandem, rather than only the task for a public bureaucracy.