Everyone is in favour of good governance. But what exactly does it mean? Should it be promoted in order to enhance democracy? Or to create markets? Should we look only at formal institutions or also at civil society? Beyond the technical definitions lies a much more complex political debate, involving notions that are usually not considered by politicians and policy makers.
The quest for ‘good’ governance is a key theme of most multilateral and bilateral donor policies. Debates among donors tend to focus on which aspects of governance should be promoted, or on whether good governance precedes or follows from economic development. Underlying these policy debates is a discussion on development itself, and whether it is wise for donors to pin their hopes on governance as a key variable in the ‘management’ of development outcomes.
The criteria that are used as indicators of good governance vary enormously, indicating that aid agencies are not neutral. By choosing particular sets of governance criteria, these agencies are in fact making make political choices. However, this political nature of donor interventions in recipient countries is not always directly apparent.
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