Here is a good book by well-trained academics about all the public sector arms-length institutions that governments can devise to enforce accountability. What’s wrong with this? Nothing really, except that it overlooks that political accountability is best found in the political arena. The role of the Opposition is to hold the government to account for its spending and policies. Legislators, from even the government bench, itself, enforce accountability through the committee system. If the legislature works and its forensic duties funded, there is less need for new bureaucracies to contribute analysis and comment. The message is clear. Get the politics right first then add more civil servants.
2 responses to “Guardrails for Democracy — IFES publication — the Myopia of Public Sector Thinking”
I agree with your take. I think these academics, and others, are casting about for alternatives simply because of the declining efficacy of legislatures as democratic institutions.
Thank you Stephen from Owen director@opposition.international