The aspects of good governance in the context of globalization.

Negrut, Vasilica ; Costache, Mirela Paula ; Maftei, Jana 等

1. INTRODUCTION

The debates determined by the government phenomenon occupy a very important place in the present context and are being materialized in a vast judicial, political and economic literature. The theoretical acquisitions in this domain underline the multiple perspectives of approach but also the difficulty to characterize this complex and multidimensional phenomenon. The insufficiencies of traditional approaches come from the vast feature of this subject, the lack of a well defined and consolidated theoretical basis, as well as from the fact that its specific problematic does not belong to a sole scientific domain. Although there is a significant number of papers and studies devoted to this subject, sometimes the discourse is characterized by confusion and terminological imprecision. A very important role in this context belongs to the increase in the capacity to conceptualize the new realities, as well as the intensification of the concern for elaborating a possible theory of government, that would comprise its ideological and economic concepts, principles, norms and promotion policies as well as the aimed at purpose. Starting from the abovementioned issues, our purpose is to underline the importance that good governance has in the sustainable development of global society.

2. THE PARADIGM OF GLOBALIZATION

As other concepts the term globalization is still a very controversial one, not having a precise definition. (Apahideanu, 2006, p. 303) In the most general terms, "globalization is the process by which the geographic distance becomes a factor less important in establishing and developing cross border relations of economic, political and social nature" (Bari, 2001, p. 6). The paradigm of globalization differs from a school of thought to another. Thus, the realistic point of view sustains that globalization is equivalent to the militarization of the international system and the instauration of the model of political control over the borders. At the same time the realists assert that although all the branches and public life domains are affected, the real competition between the states is not affected. On the other hand, the sustainers of liberalism identify globalization with multilateralism and with the phenomenon of increased global interdependency while globalists assert that it is all about a normal result of the development of the global capitalist system. Under its most general aspect, globalization is the almost natural consequence of the more and more accentuated course imprinted to history by the human development sense (Popescu, 2009, p. 3).

3. THE EFFECTS OF GLOBALIZATION ON GOOD GOVERNANCE

In the present, globalization is undergoing a powerful asymmetry, a lack of homogeneity because of the discrepancies existent regarding the stage of development, resources, capacities, possibilities but also traditions, aspirations, cultures and values. Globalization brings opportunities but also great risks. The major task of globalization is to ensure a stable environment under a political, economic and social aspect. At the same time, it carries a series of restrictions, as well as a set of new objectives and values: political, economic, social, judicial, moral, ethical, ideological. Parallel to the technological improvements that have revolutionized many domains of activity, globalization has brought the increase of disparities in wealth distribution, a more accentuated polarization of wealth and poorness, social exclusion and insecurity. Globalization is at the same time a process of reconsidering the relations between north and south, as well as the relations between the center and periphery in a general meaning, as in these relations both the internal ones and especially the external ones come into play, between spaces such as states, regions or bigger territorial areas. Passing from national to regional and then global implies options, abandonments, expectations and challenges that produce significant changes in the set of fundamental values and principles. Also, we witness in the present even at the global integration of partial processes, to the harmonization of policies and strategies, legislations in the domain of integration with regional regulations, respectively international ones. (Stanescu, 2005, p. 215) The globalization phenomenon imposes an analysis of the concept of global government that, although is frequently used, doesn't have a uniform definition. Thus, while Wilkinson (2002) considers that "global government is a complex and dynamic process of interactive public decision making that constantly responds to the circumstances of an environment in continuous change" the South Center in Geneva (1995) approaches this concept from the perspective of recognizing the need for new and more advanced forms of international cooperation and management of global business common to a great number of states. The regionalization of different spaces of the world, as a preliminary stage of globalization, has become a necessity that cannot be avoided since, before the globalization process, there is a need for adaptation to the global climate, the requests, challenges and expectations of this climate. The regional integration remains the main gate of entrance to the global society and presents two types of institutionalized forms: governmental and nongovernmental. Thus there have been established structures that can promote intra and inter regional actions of collaboration and partnership, with mechanisms, systems of values, principles and specific norms. According to the United Nations (2000, p.2) the global efforts to impose governance imply numerous tendencies: decentralization, privatization, globalization, convergence, regionalization, interstate cooperation. In order to apply these tendencies to globalize governance, the states have to adopt public policies that involve the citizens, public and private business, and to build partnerships for global, national and local governance. If governance is the way to exert power, good governance implies the "imperative consensus of those governed towards the objective and the methods of governing, the responsibility of those governing, the efficiency of governing and the rights of the citizens to be informed in the first place of what concerns the use and distribution of the financial resources of government". (Apahideanu, 2006, p. 309) Good governance is a recent concept, promoted by the liberal democracies of the world especially the ones in the European space. This new concept takes into account the involvement of the citizens in the decision making process, their needs and requests. The new concept allows the use of material, human and financial resources in a more efficient manner, directed towards the satisfaction of priority needs. Good governance is not an end itself, but is subsumed to a final goal aiming at accomplishing the general interests. The concept of good governance needs a higher degree of transparency and responsibility in the public process. Starting from the definitions provided by the doctrine, the following features of good governance can be determined: the political dimension of the concept that implies a multiparty system, competitive in democratic policies and respecting human rights; the institutional dimension represented by the manner in which the businesses of the state are managed; the technical dimension valued by the quality of management and institutional capacity. But this concept also has a sociological dimension that entails the following: ensuring a legal economical and political environment; improving the efficiency of governing; the decentralization of public administration; promoting cultural diversity; protecting the environment and equality in treatment. This new approach of good governance has determined the analysis of the specific attributes of the concept as true principles of public administration, respectively a unitary assembly of "basic rules of a political, economic, social and judicial nature that determine in an essential way the organization, functioning and activity of the executive system of the states". If initially the concept of good governance was identified within EPSD of the European Union, subsequently, together with the identification by the European Commission of the imperative of reforming the European governance as a strategic objective, the White Paper of European Governance was adopted which is a fundamental document underlining the principles of good European governance. The doctrine has underlined the fact that the EU represents "an exemplary architecture" for global development, with similarities between the global governance of markets and the specific principles of the EU governance. At the same time, with the adherence of new states, there is a pressing need for the efficiency of the European institutional structures which will also lead to the affirmation of the organization at a global level. The White Paper of European Governance, in "Proposals for change" states that the European Union has to renew the method of the Community following a less centralized method, a better involvement and more openness. Also, the five principles that define good governance are listed: openness, participation, accountability, efficiency and coherence. Each of these principles, as indicated by the Paper, is important for the establishment of democratic governance and represents a basis for democracy and respect of law. The openness does not refer only to the active communication of decisions but also to the use of an accessible language that is understood by the public. Concerning the participation, quality, relevance and efficiency of the policies of the EU, they depend on ensuring a wide participation, from conceiving the decision until its application. The efficiency conditions the exertion of the policies in a prompt manner with clear objectives. The efficiency depends also on the implementation of policies and choosing the level at which the measures are being taken. One of the principles of democratic governance promoted in the Lisbon Treaty is that of participative democracy. In virtue of this principle, the European citizens can participate under different ways, to the political process of the Union, one of these being represented by the citizens' initiative. At the same time, the Treaty recognizes the importance of consultations and dialogue with associations, civil society, workers and employers, churches and other non confessional organizations. In the context of the conceptual analysis of good governance, we consider that the clarification of the relation between governance and good administration is necessary. Traditionally, good administration is founded on the idea of institutions, referring to the way they function, this being possible by ensuring the access to information, a more efficient protection of fundamental rights, as well as the right to defense, publication of administrative acts and their motivation. With an apparent similar content, good administration represents one of the conditions of good governance, according to the World Bank.

4. CONCLUSION

Although it is not a panacea, the globalization is a reality that all countries should participate to, regardless their level of democracy or development. It involves accepting the same values, political, economic and social cohesion. What makes a governance to be good, in terms of globalization, is the correct allocation of resources (economic, financial, material, human), and a mechanism for coordinating policies, efficient administration of government resources and achieving administrative decentralization. We believe that the international community must identify solutions to direct the beneficial effects of globalization into the public interest, in parallel with adopting measures for limiting the impart of negative effects. The values of democracy (state law, transparency, openness, access to information etc.) represent the solution for directing globalization effects in order to harmonize the internal and external policy of a country, thus determining the route towards good governance.

5. REFERENCES

Apahideanu, I. (2006). Globalization between concept and assigned reality, In Handbook of international relations, A. Miroiu, & R.-S. Ungureanu (p. 303), Polirom. ISBN: 97346-0429-5. Bucharest

Bari, I. (2001). Globalization and global issues, Economica. ISBN: 973590568X. Bucharest

Popescu, E. (2009). Theories of European Integration, C.H. Beck, ISBN: 973-115-499-2, Bucharest

Stanescu, Vasile. (2005). Science of globalization, All Beck, ISBN: 973-655-728-6, Bucharest

Wilkinson, R. (2002). Global governance: Preliminary Interrogation, In Global governance. Critical perspectives, R. Wilkinson & S. Hughes, Routledge, ISBN: 0-415-26838-9, London, UK

*** (2000).http://unpan1.un.org/intradoc/groups/public/docume nts/un/unpan000113.pdf, United Nation, Building Partnership for good governance, Accessed on: 2010-06-12