Current Affairs - Understanding Governance Structure Uzair Khan

Governance
Etymology:
The word “governance” came from the Latin verb “gubernare,” or more originally from the
Greek word “kubernaein,” which means “to steer.” Based on its etymology governance refers to
the manner of steering or governing a group of people or a state.
Definition:
“In simpler terms, Governance is defined as the action or manner of governing a state or an
organization”
“The manner in which power is exercised in the management of a country's economic and social
resources for development” --World Bank
“Governance can be seen as the exercise of economic, political and administrative authority to
manage a country’s affairs at all levels” -- UNDP
What is State?
According to Montevideo Convention on the Rights and Duties of State, a state should possess
 A defined territory
 A permanent population
 A government
 Capacity to enter into relations with other states
Governance Structure

Legislature
Executive
Judiciary
Makes
enforces
thethe
Laws
laws
Interprets the laws

Legislature Executive Judiciary Informal Instits

o Parliament o Prime Minister o Supreme Court o Media 4th
o NA lower house o President o High Court pillar
o Senate Upper House o Cabinet/ o Lower Court o Civil
o Standing Committees Ministries o Specialized Society
o Specialized o Bureaucracy Courts o NGO’s
Committees o Civil Secretariat o Ombudsman o Community
o Provincial/Local Govts o Policy Boards
Implementing
institutions
Current Affairs - Understanding Governance Structure Uzair Khan

Policy Making in Pakistan:

Approach 1 (proactive): State Legislatures formulate a policy, executive implements it.
Approach 2: Informal institutions (media, civil society) highlight a problem and push
government machinery to formulate a policy to curtail that problem.
Role of Governance in a Nation’s success:
 An effective governance structure must be in place as a foundation for the effective
implementation of policies.
 Effective Coordination of governance institutions is a benchmark for success.
 Robust governance mechanism creates a bulwark against abuse of power and social ills.
 Acemoglu and Robinson’s central argument in book Why Nations Fail
Problems in Governance Structure of Pakistan:
 Lack of ‘trias politica’ (Montesquieu’s Separation of Powers)
 No system of Checks and Balances (US system of Checks and Balances)
 Blame the other games
 Overstepping of institutions
 Absence of policy Coordination among institutions
 Lack of Policy Cohesion
 Fragile institutions of Jinnah’s nation
 Absence of institutional approach
 Absence of Community based Governance approach
Lessons from the Successful nations:
 Singaporean Governance model
 Malaysian Governance framework
 Madisonian Governance Model
Global Agencies and the Idea of Good Governance
 Participation
 Accountability
 Rule of Law
 Transparency
 Consensus
 Efficiency
 Equity
 Responsiveness
 Strategic Vision

Recommended Readings: Why Nations Fail Acemoglu and Robinson

Governing the Ungovernable Ishrat Husain
Ishrat Hussain’s Chapter Retooling Institutions in Beyond the Crisis State (Maleeha Lodhi)