The purpose of this brief is to offer a concise introduction to the core elements of the concept of governance legitimacy – the right and acceptance of the government as an authority. It is a result of the Think To DO Institute’s ongoing research on the topic. The report is designed for those who are new to the idea, and it addresses what is it and why governance legitimacy is important.
Governance legitimacy is the right and the acceptance of the government as an authority. This legitimacy derives from the effect of the electoral system and depends on whether the government is enforcing the laws of the land in the interest of the public at large.
Throughout history the term governance has been associated exclusively to the role of the state ignoring other social factors. Most recent theories, however, offer a very different view of this term. Most definitions stress the relationships between the three actors of governance – state, market and civil society – as necessary requisite to the act of governance. The understanding is that governance is the way these actors organize themselves and make decisions according to a set of formal and informal rules that together form institutions.
The term “governance legitimacy” is recognized as a set of concepts that better describe the best practices of governing. Governance legitimacy determines in part how a state operates. The less legitimacy, the more efforts any government must invest in maintaining any position taken. By means of collaboration as never before, legitimate governance elevates governments to higher levels of trust, respect, openness, and effectiveness.
The actors
Earlier definitions of governance linked this term exclusively to the action of government. Today definitions are wider and cover non-state actors as mentioned before. In the words of governance scholar R. A. W. Rhodes (1997), “No single actor, public or private, has the sufficient knowledge to dominate ultimately a governing model.” Governance is the result of a social-political-administrative sharing process where state, market and civil society have their own role. The state does not have any more a central role.
Governance and institutions
Governance is the process of decision-making which conducts public life in a society and guarantees respect of citizens’ human rights, equality in resource distribution and safety. Governance is in charge of the application of the rules of the game which will determine the absence or not of (or the degree of) political legitimacy in a country and the population’s quality of life.
So far governance has been described as the way state, market and civil society interact according to a set of norms and rules known as institutions. These institutions are in charge of providing the instruments which make possible such interaction. Institutions are created as a result of the necessity of improving the coordination among the different members of a society. This prevents conflicts of interests and supporting the need to cooperate. A society without, or which has deficient or ineffective institutions or poor enforcement of the rules of the game shows tendencies in the direction of an anarchist society where lack of organization may lead to chaos.
The rules are in the form of formal norms (those based on written constitutions, laws, formal contracts, etc.) and informal norms (based on moral rules, unwritten societal codes of conduct, etc). The scope of work of institutions is very wide and covers all the economic and social aspects related to the individual such as personal security, property rights, resource distribution, level of freedom, education, etc.
Governance legitimacy is important for resilience
Governance legitimacy best practices set forth a set of guidelines, ethics, or ideas that represent the most prudent and efficient course of actions in a given situation.
Legitimacy is important for all governments because it sustains political stability, provides the reasonableness of a government, or provides reason for the government to exist. Legitimacy manifest itself as good governance and leadership, popular participation, economic development, the impact of government’s decisions, and their performance accountability.
Governance legitimacy is earned. The triad actors in society at its core are the elements of the relationship between the private sector as stakeholder, public confidence and political commitment in a society. The private sector is a pillar the economy. Governance legitimacy is about the degree to which citizens feel government is connected or disconnected to their needs. This legitimacy determines the citizens’ acceptance of government’s moral (as opposed to its formal) authority to govern. All governments need a degree of legitimacy to govern effectively and to determine, in part, how a state operates. Legitimacy is important for all governments because it sustains political stability.
The enactment of laws and responsible budgeting may also help legitimize a government’s governance. The acceptance of that system by the public, in great part, determines how the public perceives the legitimacy given to the government.
As a young small island nation, Curaçao is becoming more aware of the importance of governance legitimacy. In doing so, the community will have to play an active role to achieve this goal.
The actors must assume their responsibility and demand and help establish the institutions needed, the market needed, and the social cohesion and stakeholder participation needed for governance legitimacy.
The collaboration and shared vision of the triad of society builds governance legitimacy. Because of the trust, respect and transparency which governance legitimacy creates, it enables the agreement and existence of abundance mindset, a master plan with shared vision and purpose, the formation of the people, and the capabilities for execution. This is the way to public confidence, stakeholder engagement and political commitment.
Bonnie Benesh
Curaçao
