The Role of the Public Service in a Democracy

          This is a summary of three articles. The first with the title above, published on September, 2010. At the http://www.citizenshipeducation.net/. The second with the title of, "The role of the constitution and the law in a free society." Published at   http://www.ourcivilisation.com/. The third with the title of, "The 'rule of law' as an Australian constitutionalist promise."   Published at the  http://www.murdoch.edu.au/ .

         Government departments are set up to ensure that policies decided by the government are professionaly developed, implemented, and assessed. In this relationship the public servant is the "agent" of the minister and required to faithfully implement ministerial decisions. Because establishing this impartiality and effectiveness and identifying the common interest is no easy, many countries identify basic principles and establish both laws and codes of conduct as guidance. The first principle is often that public servants conduct their activity with professionalism and integrity. This requires public servants to be politically neutral. This principle allow the government have trust in its public servants, trust that government`s programs are adequately scoped, and conducted. A professional response requires the setting aside of personal preferences, and giving full support to the government`s programs. At the same time, the public servant requires from government some guarantees that the provision of full, free, and frank advise will not jeopardize their livelihood. In recent times, the trend has been "assess to information" legislation. The advantages of these more open regimes are that public servants will be less included anonymous "whistle-blowing" activities and at the same time the public servant knows that the public may have assess to records. At election times, most public servants continue to support of government in neutral roles. They may, for instance, be involved in electoral administration. There are too, public servants who wish to nominate as candidates for election, and this situation can be considered from a number of perspectives. An additional concern is that a public servant who who decided to stand as a candidate will use public resources, whether time, money, or other types of access, to promote their personal agenda, this is not just, and indeed illegal. Clearly, in considering the relationship between public servants and political candidature, several interests must be balanced : the rights of citizens in the political process, irrespective of their employment, and the collective rights of the population to a fully neutral public service. Societies throughout the ages have had to consider what to do when one freedom has to be balanced against another freedom. Interested parties may feel that they need to take the matter to court to interpret the law, consider the conflict between particular laws, particular principles. Citizens have an interest in the policy options being fairly considered, in services being accessible and fairly provided. They can be aware laws and codes require public servants to carry out the decisions of government. Public servants and political parties are different.

              The essential characteristic of the liberal theory of the state is the idea that the authority and power of the state are limited. The role of a constitution is to provide scope for good government, while at the same time placing limitations on the powers of the governors. The doctrine of the separation of powers, involving a system of checks and balances, is basic to liberal constitutionalism. The system begins with the separation through a constitution of judicial, executive and legislative powers. However, it goes much further. It operates also within each branch of the state, in the division of powers between state and federal government and the distribution of powers between the state, other institutions and individuals in the community. In a democracy, the electoral system, free expression and criticism, the investigative media and the existence of countless and not so strong independent institutions operate as a system of checks on those powers exercising private and public power.

           Constitutional law has two main functions. It seeks to provide a stable and secure basis for the exrecise of governmental power, and also seeks to limit that power. "Impose substantive and procedural limitations upon the powers of all three organs of government."   The importance of the rule of law as a potential constitutional promise must not be underestimated. The rule of law centrally comprises the values of regularity and restraint, embodied in the government of laws, not men. It sustains much more than constitutionalism. It means, in the first place, the absolute supremacy of regular law as opposed to the influence of arbitrary power.

Latin America 2040 Breaking Away From Complacency - Part II

                    This post is a summary of the chapter 5, with the title   "How Can education Help Latin America Develop?    The chapter 6 with the title,    "Innovation and Technology development for Economic Restructuring."      And the chapter 7 with the title,    "Infrastructure Needs for a Resurgent Latin America." All three from the book in the link.

http://www.centennialgroup.com/downloads/CAF%202nd%20edition%201120%20FINAL                                                                                                                                                         

             Latin America schools do a poor job of providing the more specific skills necessary to be competitive. Even those who achieve basic competency in reading and math are unlikely to acquire the advanced math, science and English skills that allow countries to innovate and attract foreign investment. Education, of course, is widely agreed to be one of the most poweful tools for reducing inequality. But governments spending on education, despite growth, is making only limited headway in reducing inequality. Governments tend to overspend at the tertiary level so as to provide tuition-free higher education for all. Public spending per higher education student in Latin America is often five (or more) times public spending per primary school student in Latin America, compared with ratios of approximately 1:1 in countries like Spain or Canada. Since the vast majority of students from poor families never reach the tertiary level, the result is a massive subsidy to the upper-class. More than half of the benefits of public spending on higher education go to richest 20% of the population. That portion of government education spending that does reach the poor, largely through public schools, provide education whose quality is low and that it does no significantly increase their human capital nor equip them to compete with the graduates of the private schools. The obstacles to improve the education`s systems are both technical and political, and serious reform need to address both aspects. Most ministries of education are weak and so have limited capacity to manage a large and diverse education`s system. Teaching does not attract the best and brightest applicants, in part because prestige are low and incentives do not reward merit. Clearly, bureaucracies need to be re-engineered so as to strengthen their capacity to develop and implement policy. Emphasis should be on setting and enforcing standards, regularly assessing progress and promoting quality. And the teaching profession needs to be fundamentally re-thought so as to make teaching a high-status occupation that demands and rewards good performance. 

           Innovation today is widely recognized as a major source of competitiveness and economic growth for all countries. Innovation has a critical role in creating jobs, generating incomes and in improving living standards. In the coming decades, knowledge and innovation will drive the comparative advantage of some countries, and a lack of it will lead to disappointing examples of failed economic performance for others. In the new global economy, a nation`s wealth lies in its skilled people, not in its land or capital, who generate new knowledge and convert it into value-added ideas, goods, services and processes. An educated workforce is a prerequisite for a vibrant technology and innovation system that serves as a major source of economic growth. The government have played an important role in the promotion of tech ( e.g. space, agriculture, health, etc). For developing countries, considerable benefits can be realized by tapping into globally available knowledge and tech and adapting them to local conditions. Many countries (e.g. India, China) are pursuing inclusive innovation and are developing products and services that benefit directly poor people. For example, India`s National Innovation Foundation setup to promote inclusive innovation has catalogued some 70,000 grass-roots innovations and is working with engineering institutions to convert many of these innovations into viable products. Latin America is at a cross-road where it needs to upgrade its tech and innovation capabilities in order to improve its economy, and to move up the value chain ladder in a highly globalized world. For upgrading the science, tech and innovation systems, Latin America needs to incease significantly their investment in R&D (research and development) from the current 0.6% of GDP to about 2% of GDP. They focus on the following key aspects: 1) Regional collaboration. 2) Educated and skilled workforce. 3) Inclusive innovation. 4) Innovation infrastructure. 5) R&D and tech absorption. 6) Centers of excellence.  This is critical at a time when the region is looking to advance as a knowledge-based economy. The region has a considerable potential for productivity growth and catch-up potential in tech for economic growth as well as for improving the lives of all its citizens. 

             Central to Latin America`s long-term economic prospects and social well-being is increased investment in infrastructure. Various studies have emphasized the critical role of quality infrastructure services in enhancing economic productivity and competition, and in accelerating social inclusion. In short, infrastructure development is critical to all three major pillars of the strategy proposed in this book: enhancing social inclusion, increasing economic productivity, and promoting greater openness and regional cooperation. The analysis based on a that includes four simultaneous equations, confirms that the region`s long-term infrastructure requirements remain substantial. There is a sharp divides exist between countries. But even within countries, certain areas, particularly rural, suffer from access to telecom, paved roads, water and sanitation that is far poorer that enjoyed in urban areas of the same countries. This stems, in part, from the fact that , per capita, it is much expensive to extent infrastructure to the rural areas. 

Latin America 2040 Breaking Away from Complacency

           This post is a summary of three articles. The first published at http://www.thedialogue.org/page.cfm?pageID=32&. The second at http://books.google.com.br/books/about/Latin_America_2040.html?. The third was published http://www.centennialgroup.com/downloads/CAF%202nd%20edition%201120%

           The recently released book Latin America 2040 Breaking Away from Complacency: An Agenda for Resurgence, discussed the economic challenges facing Latin America and their recommendations for the future of the region. The book encourages governments in the region to pursue more rapid economic growth and a faster reduction in disparities during the next three decades in order to avoid economic, social and political upheavals. Expanding on these points, Harinder Kohli, president of the Centennial Group, argue that most of Latin America is stuck in the "middle income trap," meaning that the region experienced a period of accelerated growth and has since remained relatively stagnant after reaching a moderate level of development. The middle income trap leaves regions like Latin America "rich to compete with poor countries and poor to compete with rich countries." Kohli also discussed the persistent inequality in the region. These disparities, together with stagnant productivity, low savings and investment, and poor infrastructure, have a significant impact on society and may attribute to increased crime and violence. At the same time, Kohli indentified a number of strengths possessed by the region that could be useful in stimulating further growth, including abundant natural resources, proximity to large markets, and historical ties to U.S. and Europe. Claudio Loser, president of the Centennial Group for Latin America, told that, "Latin America may be growing now at a rapid rate, but investment and savings is among the lowest in the world. Capital has increased in the region, but not productivity." He identified three pillars of focus for future sustainable growth: greater social inclusion, higher productivity and enhanced competition and openness. He also cited the need to bolster education efforts. Sergio Bitar, a former Chilean minister said that the success of the region would require cultural change in addition to policy reform. In response to a question as to whether it would be more appropriate for Latin America to look a successful country like Chile as an example rather than East Asia, Bitar acknowledge that despite being proud of what Chile has achieved, he said that in the same time, East Asia countries have achieved double, triple what Chile has.

            Latin America  2040 presents a longer term vision of Latin America society and economies, within which current policy debates and actions must be anchored. It presents a set of multigenerational issues that must be tackled urgently in order to sharply reduce inequities as well as raise their economic growth rates. The fact is that the region has been underperforming Asia for the past thirty years. This book argues that the current situation is untenable economically, socially and politically. At the same time, the authors believe that the region can and must aim higher economic growth and a much faster reduction in disparities. This book offers an agenda for such a resurgence of Latin America. It presents a strategy for the regional economies to realize this vision by raising their growth rates while achieving more inclusive societies. 

            High quality education can make a significant contribution to a country`s development. It boost earnings and stimulates economic growth. Governments should make learning the central objective of their education systems, and stress policies that promote learning. They should consider the following policies: 1) Provide all children with pre-school and invest in high-quality basic education. 2) Establish standards that should be clear, measurable, and high. Teacher training, texbooks, and student assessment should be keyed to them. 3) Develop a transparent evaluation systems that should be used to inform teachers, parents, politicians to improve education. 4) Recruit top graduates by making entry more selective, and training intensively in classroom instruction. 5) Make proficiency in English a fundamental goal. Government should make a effort to provide all students with at least basic skills in English. Enrollment levels in tertiary education have improved over the last ten years but still is half the average for rich countries. Moreover, most university students do not complete their studies. 40% of Argentine university students drop out in the first year.Taxpayers are supporting a small cadre of sudents who seldom complete their degrees, with funds that might help poor students who are failing to complete secondary school. The evidence that exist suggest that the universities of region are not globally competitive. In a 2012 ranking of the world`s 200 top universities. The region has only one, University of Sao Paulo, at rank 158. With respect to fields of study, the universities produce very few science or engineering graduates. The bulk of university graduates are in social science, law, or business. By contrast, nearly 40% of all Korean university graduates, and 30% of all Irish graduates are trained in science or engineering. The modification of these patterns will require action with a major shift in the roles of government and the private sector. The government should be a facilitator, balancing knowledge and financial resources, to deal with social returns which are highest. However, in order to convert Latin America into a source of technological excellence, actions will be required to combine the efforts of private and public education, as well corporate support and direct involvement.

Break Away - escape

Complacency - a feeling of security, often while unaware of some potential danger.

Untenable - incapable of being defended, as an argument, thesis, etc.

Governance

                This post is a summary of four articles.   The first with the title above,  published      at   http://www.un.org/cyberschoolbus/briefing/governance/governance.pdf. The second with the title of, "More emphasis on citizens participation at grassroots level through congress monitoring and exchange of good practice. Published at  http://www.coe.int/t/congress/Sessions/21/participation_en.asp. The third with the title of, "Education for democratic citizenship - tools for cities." https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=CPL%2821%296&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=original&Site=Congress&BackColorInternet=e0cee1. The fourth  with  the title  of,    "What is demand for good governance."       http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTSOCIALDEVELOPMENT/EXTPCENG/0,,contentMDK:20509424~menuPK:1278120~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:410306,00. . 

          

           When most people hear the word  "governance"  they think of government. After all, both have "govern" as their root word. But governance is about more than just government. People use governance in their daily lives to manage their relationships, just as corporations and countries use it to manage their activities. When we speak of the quality of a country`s governance, however, we mean the degree to which its institutions and processes are transparent, not susceptible to corruption and accountable to the people. Democratic governance exists when the authority of the government is based on the will of the people and responsive to them. It is when open, democratic institutions allow full participation in political affairs and when human rights protections guarantee the right to speak, assemble and dissent. Because "good" can be a subjective term, it is important to be specific in its use. Good governance has certain qualities to it. It promotes equity, participation, pluralism, transparency, accountability and the rule of law. And it is effective, efficient, responsive and sustainable over the long run. Governance must be rooted in these principles to move society towards greater human development. The 1999 Millennium Survey conducted in 60 countries, found that in most countries the majority of respondents said their elections were free and fair. Despite this, however, two thirds of all considered that their country was not governed by the will of the people. This seems to imply that good governance is incomplete or losing hold in many countries. Here are some activities to know and understand better good governance. 1) Read about countries and research the state of governance there. Include information on the history, political structure, economic situation, popular participation, etc. 2) Look at Transparency International`s Corruption Perception Index, which provides data on the perception of the degree of corruption as seen by business people, risk analysts and the general public. 3) Read the annual Freedom House survey of political rights and civil liberties. 4) Study the International Foundation for Election Systems. 5) Read a constitution of any country you would like. 6) Contact your elected representative or government officials about issues that concern you. 7) Volunteer to help with civic education or education initiatives. 8) Find out more about important issues and help yourself and others to become an informed voter. 9) Encourage participation in meetings, community groups, transparent decision-making process and accountable leadership.

               A report on direct involvement of citizen in decision-making processes in Europe was adopted in October 2011. The report assesses direct democracy procedures and current trends in citizen participation. Participatory democracy is to be seen as an essential element of the good democratic functioning of society and has to be further developed. In addition to existing procedures of direct democracy, the report advocates to encourage authorities to also make use of ICT (information and communication technologies) to set up citizen network and to promote the implementation of pro-active mechanisms such as online publication of government information and participatory budgeting. The Council of Europe congress believes that in times of increasing cuts authority allocations and disenchantment of citizens with the political process, it is more important than ever that citizens participate at the level closest to them.  

           Citizens political awareness is a necessary element in the development of a healthy democracy. Authorities have a duty to promote and facilitate active democratic citizenship. By ensuring access to education for democratic citizenship (EDC) in their communities, authorities will provide knowledge, skills and understanding of democratic processes, help to develop democratic attitudes, and encourage citizens to actively defend their rights and exercise their responsabilities in society. Cities have the potential to become catalysts for nurturing, developing and spreading the values that lie at the heart of democracy. By developing EDC strategies and making intelligent use of the available tools, they can take a step towards ensure that their citizens contribute fully to public life. Authorities needs to elaborate strategies and actions for education for democratic citizenship (EDC). To ensure coordination possible synergies with other stakeholders, educational institutions, NGOs, youth organisations, parents, media, etc. In defining and implementing EDC programmes. To promote human rights awareness-raising activities among populations as an integral part of EDC. To establish a framework for encouraging active participation, including by setting up consultative citizens tools such as, citizens´ initiatives, referendums, etc.

           Worldwide there is increasing recognition that citizen involvement is critical for enhancing democratic governance, improving service delivery, and fostering empowerment. Demand for Good Governance (DFGG) refers to the ability of citizens, civil society organizations and other non state actors to hold the state accountable and make it responsive to their needs. DFGG encompasses initiatives that focus on citizens as the ultimate stakeholders and include activities relating to: information disclosure and dissemination, beneficiary/user participation and consultation, complaints handling, independent and participatory monitoring DFGG aims to strengthen the capacity of NGOs, the media, communities, and the private sector to hold authorities accountable for better development results. DFGG mechanisms can be initiated and supported by the state, citizens or both, but very often they are demand-driven and operate from the bottom-up. The concept of accountability has gained increasing importance in the past two decades. Analytical studies and frameworks that have been developed since have contributed to inclusion and advancing of government accountability.