Comments on: Myth #2: Only Rich Countries can afford Good Governance & Rule of Law? — on The Economist’s ‘Order in the Jungle’ http://thekaufmannpost.net/myth-2-only-rich-countries-can-afford-good-governance-rule-of-law-on-the-economists-order-in-the-jungle/ Transparency, corruption and governance matters, evidence-based Sat, 21 Aug 2010 17:22:33 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Prof. Dr.Plamen K.Georgiev http://thekaufmannpost.net/myth-2-only-rich-countries-can-afford-good-governance-rule-of-law-on-the-economists-order-in-the-jungle/comment-page-1/#comment-16 Prof. Dr.Plamen K.Georgiev Tue, 25 Mar 2008 14:57:53 +0000 http://thekaufmannpost.net/myth-2-only-rich-countries-can-afford-good-governance-rule-of-law-on-the-economists-order-in-the-jungle/#comment-16 It makes less sense to search for casuality directions in a "jungle environment" indeed - as in the case of many "new democracies" in SE Europe ( or if you still prefer The Balkans). Kaufmann is theoretically right, but may be challenged with practical questions as: "Whose law?", "Whose Rule?". A scattered Clientage of what has been defined untill recently as collapced totalitarian regimes on the Balkans seem to be sucessfully "recycling" the old ideas of authoritative rule. Wonder what the correlation between a "champion" in football and say 70 % of voters support for him as democratically elected major of a middle sized Balkan city (with 72 % unempolyment among Roma, but less among other ethnic groups dominating) could be?. If we are to read percentiles or correlations properly - "jungles" can only give birth to quasi-democracies. The latter perform in a parliamentary "visibly transparent" form, but act as naturally as they do in the re-captured (paradise lost/paradice regained) postcommunist environment at this side. What a paradox of history, but a chance of real politics indeed!! It makes less sense to search for casuality directions in a “jungle environment” indeed – as in the case of many “new democracies” in SE Europe ( or if you still prefer The Balkans). Kaufmann is theoretically right, but may be challenged with practical questions as: “Whose law?”, “Whose Rule?”.
A scattered Clientage of what has been defined untill recently as collapced totalitarian regimes on the Balkans seem to be sucessfully “recycling” the old ideas of authoritative rule. Wonder what the correlation between a “champion” in football and say 70 % of voters support for him as democratically elected major of a middle sized Balkan city (with 72 % unempolyment among Roma, but less among other ethnic groups dominating) could be?. If we are to read percentiles or correlations properly – “jungles” can only give birth to quasi-democracies. The latter perform in a parliamentary “visibly transparent” form, but act as naturally as they do in the re-captured (paradise lost/paradice regained) postcommunist environment at this side. What a paradox of history, but a chance of real politics indeed!!

]]> By: MadMerv http://thekaufmannpost.net/myth-2-only-rich-countries-can-afford-good-governance-rule-of-law-on-the-economists-order-in-the-jungle/comment-page-1/#comment-15 MadMerv Tue, 25 Mar 2008 13:29:38 +0000 http://thekaufmannpost.net/myth-2-only-rich-countries-can-afford-good-governance-rule-of-law-on-the-economists-order-in-the-jungle/#comment-15 It remains to be seen whether the rule of law is best for the entire population, or merely for the rich to protect their assets. There’s nothing wrong with wealth, but we calculate a wealth of a country by GDP, which doesn’t take the distribution of wealth into account. Countries with successful social policies could be seen as more just to all. Their crime rates are lower, thus less of a need for law in terms of applying “force” to the population. The question is whether the law really creates wealth, or is applied merely to protect the rich. No matter how hungry a poor citizen becomes, he or she will be sent to jail for stealing food. The result is overcrowded prison populations, something which is a problem in developed nations. I believe that for ultimate justice one must pursue a thick definition of the rule of law. Individual freedoms must be protected by none other than the State itself, through regulatory measures, in order to protect and foster creativity, development and growth by all and for all. It remains to be seen whether the rule of law is best for the entire population, or merely for the rich to protect their assets. There’s nothing wrong with wealth, but we calculate a wealth of a country by GDP, which doesn’t take the distribution of wealth into account.

Countries with successful social policies could be seen as more just to all. Their crime rates are lower, thus less of a need for law in terms of applying “force” to the population.

The question is whether the law really creates wealth, or is applied merely to protect the rich. No matter how hungry a poor citizen becomes, he or she will be sent to jail for stealing food. The result is overcrowded prison populations, something which is a problem in developed nations.

I believe that for ultimate justice one must pursue a thick definition of the rule of law. Individual freedoms must be protected by none other than the State itself, through regulatory measures, in order to protect and foster creativity, development and growth by all and for all.

]]> By: Al http://thekaufmannpost.net/myth-2-only-rich-countries-can-afford-good-governance-rule-of-law-on-the-economists-order-in-the-jungle/comment-page-1/#comment-14 Al Sat, 22 Mar 2008 03:13:02 +0000 http://thekaufmannpost.net/myth-2-only-rich-countries-can-afford-good-governance-rule-of-law-on-the-economists-order-in-the-jungle/#comment-14 ok, so rule of law matters, and showing that with real data also matters because many still don't believe that this stuff can be measured at all. thanks for this which is contribution and i believe it. But pending are the specifics. what within rule of law matters in particular? democracy matters more than order or vice versa; protection of human or property rights matter more? neither you nor the article in the Economist give the full answers to that. ok, so rule of law matters, and showing that with real data also matters because many still don’t believe that this stuff can be measured at all. thanks for this which is contribution and i believe it. But pending are the specifics. what within rule of law matters in particular? democracy matters more than order or vice versa; protection of human or property rights matter more? neither you nor the article in the Economist give the full answers to that.

]]>