PROGRESSION FROM IDEAL STATE TO GOOD GOVERNANCE: AN INTRODUCTORY OVERVIEW

Abstract

Good governance, first appeared in the nineties within the United Nations, the World Bank and International Monetary Fund refers to describe how public organizations best conduct public affairs and deliver public goods and services. Today, about three decades later good governance seems to be still popular since there are still many challenges ahead for many governments especially in less-developed and developing countries. This paper revisits that good governance incorporates some representative principles of an ideal state. What is an ideal state? What are the canons of an ideal state? What are the main characteristics of good governance based on ideal state? These and similar questions are the subject matter of this introductory paper.

Keywords

• Good governance, good enough governance, ideal state, accountability, responsiveness, transparency, rule of law, efficiency, effectiveness, participation.