Pathways to Humane and Productive Societies
There are few existential and global threats that are not attributable to governance failures.
It is for this reason that we consider governance risk to be the most potent threat to human survival and well-being, calling for new ways of looking at the problem.
Past approaches to governance have focused on institutional structures, policies and rules in the hope that these will produce desired decision-making outcomes.
These strategies do not adequately take into account powerful forces acting upon decision-makers that impair the quality of decisions.
The Problem
The Approach
We have been developing a framework of understanding – a kind of governance lens – through which stakeholders are able to see more clearly the governance shortcomings that hold them back.
Common governance failures are caused by conflicts of interest, perverse incentives and abuse of monopoly positions.
We promote positive decision-making techniques, refining and disseminating practical tools that encourage lawful, ethical, accountable, inclusive, evidence-based decision-making aligned with the long term interests of society and governed by rules that promote procedural fairness.
Governance is a challenge whenever one person or group purports to exercise authority on behalf of others. Governance is therefore relevant in several contexts such as public institutions, corporations, charities, faith communities and political parties.
Clarity about the relationship between power holder and beneficiary transforms decision-making because it alters the identity of persons in authority from holders of power to trustees. This shifts the focus from entitlement to service, from powers to fiduciary duties that protect the interests of beneficiaries.
Our Vision: Governments and citizens acquire the means to identify and remove governance deficiencies that are obstacles to the attainment of peaceful, humane and economically productive societies.
Our Mission: explore the forms, causes and effects of governance risk and develop practical tools that address root causes.
Our Goal: empower those promoting UN Sustainable Development Goals and tackling serious global threats.
What is meant by:
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Armed conflict and displacement of populations
Climate change
Poor pandemic responses
State capture and State failure
Economic policies that ratchet up the divide between rich and poor
First nuclear use, intentional, accidental or false flag
Cycles of disinformation causing political polarisation
Artificial intelligence indifferent to human values
High level of dependence on vulnerable infrastructures
Cascading and interactive effects of multiple risks
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State capture through the use of force and intimidation of citizens
Regulatory capture through lobbying and political donations
Kleptocracy and corrupt practices
Destruction or incremental erosion of protective institutions (see below)
Deception as a tool of governance
Deliberate under-resourcing of public institutions to weaken them
Inefficient cost externalisation through short termism and lateral transfer of risks and burdens
Political parties that are internally unaccountable and undemocratic
Wealth transfer and concentration passed off as wealth creation
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Protective institutions distribute responsibilities and govern the exercise of power through established mechanisms tested and refined over time. These include:
Separation of powers
The rule of law
Human rights and correlative obligations of public duty-bearers
independent media capable of scrutinising and disseminating news and informed commentary on public affairs
Mechanisms for citizens to be included in policy-making and to choose those who represent them
Learning and research ecosystems that use reliable processes to acquire, authenticate and share knowledge.
Impact
Better administration, allocation of resources and service delivery
Improved policy formation
Balanced and forward thinking economic development
Fairness and justice in the workplace
Reduced uncertainty and conflict
Increased motivation, morale and productivity
Shrinking opportunities for corruption
Greater progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals
Humane and sustainably productive societies