Public Development and Management 222
Chapter 2:
This chapter discusses governance theory and theories as ideas that inform governance.
The chapter discusses various governance models such as:
- Bureaucratic governance mode,
- The New Public Management (NPM) model,
- The network governance model,
- The market governance model,
- The public-value governance model,
- The learning governance model.
Governance theory:
Assists in the recognition and formation of new governance approaches.
Shows how theories designed for other uses have been adapted to work on new
governance theories.
Challenges concepts of the state.
Argues for a greater dispersal of authority.
Governance paradigms:
Provide an illustration of how concepts, theories and ideologies work in a real world
context to impact states and societies.
Paradigm: a pattern or model.
These include:
- Western polyarchies,
- New democracies,
- East-Asian regimes,
- Islamic regimes,
- Military regimes.
Governance ideologies:
They offer an account of the existing order, usually in terms of a worldview.
Show a model of a desired future in a desired society.
Show how political change should and can be brought about to reach this desired
society (and move away from the current one).
, Examples of governance ideologies:
- Liberalism, There are some
- Conservatism, more listed in
- Socialism, the book 😊.
- Feminism,
- Environmentalism,
- Capitalism.
Core concepts:
1. Governance and Government:
‘Governance’ is a much broader term than ‘Government’ means to rule or control others. It
‘government’. This is because it involves more can include any mechanism through which ordered
societal actors then government and aims to control is maintained. The central feature is the
impact more areas than the traditional ability to make collective decisions and enforce
‘government’. them.
Because governance refers to the ways in which social Thus, a form of government can be seen in all
life can be coordinated, government can be seen as institutions: families, schools, business etc. but it is
one of the institutions involved in governance. usually referred to when talking about control at a
national level.
The wider use of the term governance reflects the blurring state-society distinction
which results from changes such as the development of public management, growth
of public-private partnerships, policy networks etc.
It is the way in which society organises itself to make and implement decisions,
mutual understanding, agreement and action.
The management of the affairs of society takes place through interactions within and
among the state, civil society and private sector (the 3 actors involved in
governance).
It is the interaction between these 3 actors that promote people-centred
development which is the essence of governance.
1a) Separation of powers and the three branches of government:
As seen above, government govern within the jurisdiction of the state (different to
governance) where they hold authoritative and sovereign powers as a government.
Sovereign: a supreme ruler.
,Governments in most sovereign states function in 3 separate branches:
- The legislative branch (legislature)
- The executive branch (executive)
- Judicial branch (judiciary)
These different branches of government are linked to the so-called doctrine of the separate
powers.
The reason why they are separate is because you do not want to put too much power into
the hands of any office or individual and allow citizens to be abuse. Therefore, the making,
executing and resolving of law is kept separate.
This requires independence in the This requires interdependence in the sense
sense that the same people are not that cooperation of the separate functions
in charge of the same thing and needs to happen to retain the integrated
functions of the branches are nature of government = allows for the flow
performed separately of executing policies and delivering services
Within the branches of government, checks and balances need to be done to ensure
that: different branches of government control eachother, different branches of
government serve as a counterweight to the power possessed by the other
branches.
Overall, the purpose of separation of powers is to limit the power of a single
individual or institution, and the purpose of the checks is to make surer the different
branches are doing this and are accountable to eachother.
The legislature: legislative branch of government
Parliaments: constituted by those with political power. They represent the interests
of the people in the making of laws and policies and provide oversight over the
executive who (in partnership with public service) execute and implement the
policies made by legislature.
Legislature:
- make legislation and legitimise government policies,
- decide nature and amount of taxes to be collected from citizens,
- make decisions on the budgets, goods and services these taxes will be spent on,
- oversee implementation programmes for services and goods (oversee executive).
Members of legislature are selected by public vote and are members of political
parties.
, - The majority party makes up the executive body of government in the form
of cabinet as the government.
As explained above, legislatures are responsible for making laws and policies and for providing
oversight over the executives. However, the legislation, policies, budgets and foods are initiated by
the executive.
- Minority parties are usually in opposition of the majority party. They criticise
government and can oppose its policies, legislation, service-delivery
programmes etc. in order to suggest improvements (they therefore provide
important inputs into the governance and government process).
- These inputs are essential in facilitating ethical and effective governance and
government; political parties, including the opposition parties = essential for
democratic governance.
Important role of legislature in making government work relates to the financing of
government through acceptance of the national budget and control of their
spending.
The executive: the executive branch of government
Made up of senior political leaders who are given resources and authority through
election/appointment to initiate, plan and oversee the making and implementation
of policies i.e. the legislature come up with policies and executives initiate, plan and
oversee the implementation whilst the legislation oversights them.
They therefore contribute to the provision of the public services and goods to the
citizens because they have a certain control over public resources.
These resources are given to them in the form of taxes to implement policies and
deliver public services and goods to citizens.
the executive branch is subject to the oversight of:
- Legislature mandated to do so by the public.
- Judiciary in terms of relevant constitutional provisions through the courts of law.
- The media and administrative support functions (media = provide public with info.
about the performance of executive).
The judiciary: the judicial branch of government
The judicial authority of governments operate in the courts.
The judiciary decides on disputes between citizens, and between citizens and the
court, based on the law. Judicial officers = judges in court.
In order for proper justice, these concepts are important:
- Judicial independence (independence of judicial institutions),
