Governance

How can we judge governance by how power works in practice?

Governance concerns who decides, with what authority, using whose knowledge and under which limits. Responsible arrangements need competence, accountability and ways to hear the people affected. Participation, constitutional protection, distributed authority, local autonomy and long-term stewardship can each matter, with tensions that require judgment. Institutions also need ways to reflect on results and correct decisions. Good intentions in a leader cannot compensate for a system that conceals failure or prevents challenge.

For example, a committee spending shared funds can name who approves expenditure, record relevant interests and provide a way to question the decision.

A question to sit with (optional): Who can correct a bad decision, and can the people affected reach that process?