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Exploring the interactions among public opinion, governance, and the public sphere

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This blog is published by the Communication for Governance & Accountability Program (CommGAP).
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March 2009

Quote of the Week

Submitted by Sina Odugbemi on Tue, 03/31/2009 - 12:10

'There can be no public without full publicity in respect to all consequences which concern it.  Whatever obstructs and restricts publicity, limits and distorts public opinion and checks and distorts thinking on social affairs.  Without freedom of expression, not even methods of social inquiry can be developed.  For tools can be evolved and perfected only in operation; in application to observing, reporting and organizing actual subject-matter; and this application cannot occur save through free and systematic communication.'

John Dewey, The Public & its problems (1954)

If Force and Incentives Fail...Then What?

Submitted by Sina Odugbemi on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 15:47

As one observes the practice of policy in many contexts - including policy responses to the current global financial crisis - it is amazing to see how many expert advisers still see policy making and policy execution as a matter of command or the crude manipulation of incentives. Force relies on the coercive powers of the state: if you want citizens or groups of them to do something simply insist on compliance, and deploy the full apparatus of state power. Failing that, you manipulate incentives, especially financial incentives and citizens will fall in line. Expert systems are comfortable with either approach because each is something they understand and can easily deploy. And, to be fair, you can make and introduce policies by using force or manipulating incentives. Then you wait and see how far those approaches take you. But there is one big lesson coming out of policy studies: force and the manipulation of incentives can only take you so far.

Ask the World Bank President

Submitted by Johanna Martinson on Mon, 03/30/2009 - 15:02

Mr. Robert Zoellick, The World Bank President, is delivering a Reuters NewsMaker speech tommorrow, Tuesday at 10 a.m. in London. The event will be streamed live from the World Bank's homepage, where also a transcript will also be posted.

As part of the event, Mr. Zoellick will take questions from online readers. To participate, you can submit a question on Reuters' website.

It’s the People, Stupid.

Submitted by Antonio Lambino on Thu, 03/26/2009 - 18:09

“Effectiveness in aid is also effectiveness in governance”, said Mark Nelson, senior operations officer at the World Bank Institute (WBI) during a recent panel discussion on the progress-to-date of the Accra Agenda for Action (AAA).  The AAA reflects an international multisectoral agreement on how the delivery of development assistance might be improved “so that it can make the greatest difference in the lives of poor people around the world.” 

Quote of the Week

Submitted by Anne-Katrin Arnold on Tue, 03/24/2009 - 11:15

’Nothing appears more surprising to those, who consider human affairs with a philosophical eye, than the easiness with which the many are governed by the few; and the implicit submission, with which men resign their own sentiments and passions to those of their rulers. When we enquire by what means this wonder is effected, we shall find, that, as FORCE is always on the side of the governed, the governors have nothing to support them but opinion. It is therefore, on opinion only that government is founded; and this maxim extends to the most despotic and most military governments, as well as to the most free and most popular.The soldan of EGYPT, or the emperor of ROME, might drive his harmless subjects, like brute beasts, against their sentiments and inclination. But he must, at least, have led his mamalukes, or praetorian bands, like men, by their opinion.’

David Hume, Of the First Principles of Government, 1741

Time to Learn How to Act 'Macro' while Talking 'Micro'

Submitted by Sina Odugbemi on Mon, 03/23/2009 - 12:24

One of the major features of public discussion around the current global financial crisis is that the language of macro-economics is dominant. Different theories of macro-economics are being used to shape policy prescriptions, and these prescriptions are being shouted at policy makers. I suppose policy makers have to take Macro-economics 101 in order to be effective in their roles. Which is fine. But what about citizens? Do ordinary citizens have to take Macro-economics 101 too? Or is the view that the opinions of citizens do not matter, that the crisis is the exclusive preoccupation of a policy elite in each affected country? What happens when public anger erupts over the management of the crisis, as we are beginning to see in several countries?

Quote of the Week

Submitted by Sina Odugbemi on Thu, 03/19/2009 - 10:33

'If it be true that all governments rest on opinion, it is no less true that the strength of opinion in each individual, and its practical influence on his conduct, depend much on the number which he supposes to have entertained the same opinion. The reason of man, like man himself, is timid and cautious when left alone, and acquires firmness and confidence in proportion to the number with which it is associated. When the examples which fortify opinion are ancient as well as numerous, they are known to have a double effect. In a nation of philosophers, this consideration ought to be disregarded. A reverence for the laws would be sufficiently inculcated by the voice of an enlightened reason. But a nation of philosophers is as little to be expected as the philosophical race of kings wished for by Plato. And in every other nation, the most rational government will not find it a superfluous advantage to have the prejudices of the community on its side.'

James Madison, The Federalist Papers, No 49.

Fighting Corruption with a Double-Edged Sword

Submitted by Anne-Katrin Arnold on Wed, 03/18/2009 - 11:21

Fighting against crime and corruption means to fight battles on all kinds of fronts. Institutional reform is one of them: you need to establish accountability institutions outside the executive government to reduce the abuse of executive power. But - rule by law is not rule of law. Institutional reform is only one front. It is unlikely that reforms succeed if they are not embedded in the broader culture of a country.

Balancing Results-Based Management with People-Based Processes

Submitted by Paolo Mefalopulos on Wed, 03/18/2009 - 08:49

I decided to postpone the second blog on the ten key issues about (development) communication in favor of an issue that emerged during the XI United Nations Round Table (UNRT) on Communication for Development (C4D). The UN Round Tables began in 1988 as an inter-agency ‘professional consultation mechanism on communication for development.’ During the early stages, this event was restricted to a few actors, but it gradually opened up to broader participation, even outside the UN system.

Three Centuries of Copyright: Public Domain and the Public Sphere

Submitted by Andrea Cairola on Tue, 03/17/2009 - 08:51

After many years abroad, I have just moved back to my hometown Torino, known for car-design, the Winter Olympic Games, and for safeguarding the self-portrait of the Leonardo da Vinci. But it's also the town of the little known engineer Leonardo Chiariglione, who invented the revolutionary standard MP3 in the framework of a not for profit project, and of Nexa, Center for Internet & Society, where the other day I witnessed a meeting to prepare an action against a draft European directive for a copyright extension.

Copyright was recognized by law 300 years ago. It enabled valuable authors to make a living on their work. Therefore it was fundamental to boost the artistic creation and the freedom of expression, because finally creators could avoid to waste most of their time to please sponsors. After a given (reasonable) period,