principles of good governance

Principles of Good GovernanceIn the family, economy, civil society, education, and religion

Universal Peace Federation

What Is the Purpose of Government?

What Do All People Want?

In view of the fact that all knowledge and every pursuit aims at some good, what is the highest of all goods achievable by action? Verbally there is very general agreement; for both the general run of men and people of superior refinement it is happiness; they identify living well and doing well with being happy.

Aristotle

People Are Social Beings."It would be strange to represent the supremely happy man as a recluse. No one would choose to have all possible good things on the condition that he must enjoy them alone; for man is a social being and one whose nature is to live with others; accordingly the happy man must have society, for then he has everything that is naturally good."

Aristotle

How Is Happiness Attained?

When our desires are fulfilled. For example: Hunger > eating food > satisfaction Missing someone > seeing them > warm

relationships

Cautions

Some desires are unrealistic. Some desires are immature. Some desires are excessive. Some desires are wrong.

Therefore, focusing only on desires leads to unhappiness.

Religions Recognize This.

Christianity – “Wretched man that I am!” (St. Paul)

Judaism – “The heart is corrupt.” (Jeremiah) Buddhism - All suffering is caused by craving

and focusing on extinguishing cravings.

Paradox: The fulfillment of desire can lead to both happiness and suffering.

Therefore, desires need to be channeled and controlled so their fulfillment brings happiness and not suffering.

Core Desires

To eat, sleep, and have a home To experience love To achieve social position or authority To gain knowledge and skills To worship

Supportive Structures to Satisfy Desires

DESIRESUPPORTIVE SOCIAL

SYSTEM

To experience love Family

For material things Economy

For position and authority

Civil society, politics

For knowledge and skills Education

To worship Religion

Core Purposes of Government

DefenseTo protect a country from invasion which would destroy people’s way of life and prevent them from being happy

JusticeTo maintain the laws necessary to create a realm of freedom in which people can live a moral and meaningful life and thus be happy and fulfilled

The Family System

Fulfiling the desire for loving relationships

Family as the Locus of Meaning

Dwelling place of God: “The family that prays together stays together.”

Cultivating the spiritual life creates hope for the future.

Enduring relationships give meaning.

Family offers reasons to live and multiply.

Shabbat prayer

Family as the School of Love

Place for love between husband and wife

Reproduction and love between parents and children

Socialization and education into the manners, customs, and traditions of one’s community

Transmission of culture and the good way of life

Family as the Cradle of Culture

“By far the most important channel of transmission of culture remains the family; and when family life fails to play its part, we must expect our culture to deteriorate.”

T.S. Elliot: Notes towards the Definition of Culture, 1948

Family as a Key Economic Unit

Members work together to create wealth to support the family and community.

Develops a sense of responsible ownership.

Encourages creativity. Teaches a culture of

giving and sharing.

Family as the Ground of Being

Love

Life

Lineage

Crimes against the Family

Adultery: the chief cause of divorce and family break up

Unmarried mothers: every child has the right to a mother and a father

Child neglect and abuse(especially common among step-families)

Neglect of parents and grandparentsCaution: Government should not supplant the role

of the family in education, health, welfare, and finances.

Helpful Government Policies

Laws that protect family and marriage Tax system that favors marriage and children Inheritance laws that favor the build up of

generational wealth and responsibilityCautions: Social security system should not subsidize

unmarried mothers. Social services are best provided by the

voluntary sector.

The Family and Society

Familial collapse leads to social collapse.Society is more than families; it includes social structures and institutions

Distinctions between family and society: The family is based on affection and forgiveness. Society based on justice.

Cautions: Narrow affection in social relations > corruption (nepotism) Legalism in family relations > can hurt people’s hearts

The Family and Society

Society is an expansion of the family.However, affection declines as distance increases.

Cautions: what happens when resources are scarce? People are less generous, especially to those who are not part of their family. Scarcity of desirable goods leads to destructive conflict.

Therefore, a framework of commonly accepted rules is needed.

The Economic System

Fulfilling the desire for goods to be able to live a comfortable life

Respect for Ownership

Relationship between people and possessions:

Ownership of property as a social convention

Resolves disputes Ensures stability of possession

Transfer of Ownership Rights over goods can be transferred by consent.

Can give things to someone.Can sell things to someone.

Markets: Where ownership is transferred by exchange Origin of money: Convenient unit of exchange Division of labor and specialization Cautions: Freedom should be accompanied by responsibility. Freedom should be exercised within the bounds of the

law.

Performance of Promises

“My word is my bond.” Society as moral Self-limitation - don’t be greedy Natural, rational expectations Trust people including strangers

Enables free trade between strangers

Economic Crimes

Theft, robbery, stealing, fraud Denial of private property - nationalization

without compensation Unreasonable and punitive taxation Reneging on agreements - not paying

salaries or invoices Breaking promises

Helpful Government Policies

Establish and maintain a simple legal framework for the free market.

Set up laws regarding contracts and guarding against theft and fraud.

Maintain an independent judiciary. Keep central banks independent. Limit taxation. Minimize bureaucracy and corruption.

2 Incompatible SyndromesCommercial moral syndrome Shun force Voluntary agreements Be honest Collaborate with strangers Compete Respect contracts Use initiative and enterprise Be open to novelty Be efficient Promote convenience Dissent for the task Invest for productivity Be industrious Be thrifty Be optimistic

Guardian moral syndrome Shun trading Exert prowess Be obedient and disciplined Be exclusive Respect hierarchy Be loyal Adhere to tradition Treasure honor Be ostentatious Enjoy leisure Deceive to achieve tasks Take vengeance Show fortitude Dispense largesse Be fatalistic

Civil Society

Fulfiling the desire for social position and power

Civil Society

Offers opportunities for people to make a difference and offer a unique contribution.

Includes many types of institutions:Politics, businesses, charities, local government, religion, schools,

hospitals, etc.

Abides by laws. Allows for freedom of speech, movement, living, career, Honors people based on merit.

Crimes against Civil Society

Achieving position illegitimately Murder, coups Nepotism Cronyism Corruption, bribery Discrimination in the public sector Totalitarianism

Helpful Government Policies

Maintain an independent judiciary. Maintain roads, electricity, water supply,

sewers. Provide for national defense. Offer a safety net.

Caution: Government should protect people’s way of life but not engage in social engineering.

Educational system

Fulfilling the desire for knowledge and understanding of the

world we inhabit

What Is Education?

Transaction between the generations that initiates children into the world which they are to inhabit

Transfer of knowledge and skills Most fundamentally, learning to live

humanly

Two Types of Education

Education at home: How to behave How to live a spiritual life How to think, but not what to think or believe Skills such as swimming, gardening, house

maintenance, money management

Education at school: History, literature, language, religion Specialized knowledge and skills More complex thinking

Educational Crimes

Failing to pass on the wisdom of the ages Dumbing down information Indoctrinating students Graduating students who lack

qualifications and skills Giving information without values,

purpose, or meaning

Helpful Government Policies

Independent and self-governing, not controlled by the state

Financed by fees, scholarships, vouchers Free to specialize and set curricula Not for indoctrination - religious or political Prepare students for exams set by

universities and other professional bodies

Religion

To satisfy the desire to worship

Realm of Religion

Acknowledgement of dependence on a superhuman being expressed through rituals and worship

Concern with questions of meaning of life, right and wrong behavior, salvation

Rituals to give meaning and sanctification to rites of passage such as marriage

Religious Crimes

IdolatryMistaking the relative for the absolute

Sectarianism Bigotry Militant fundamentalism

Helpful Government Policies

Allow religious freedom. Enable religious communities to be

involved in law making, education, and values.

Summary

Human desire Supportive social system

Crimes in this realm

Experience love Family Adultery

Material things Economy Stealing

Social position and authority

Civil society Murder

Knowledge and skills Education Falsehood, indoctrination

Worship Religion Idolatry

Principles of Good Governance

Related to Spiritual PrinciplesSociety of owners

Blessing of dominion over creation Do not steal/misuse public money

Society of market relationships Blessing of ethical relationships Do not have immoral sexual relations

Society as a moral realm Blessing of mind/body unity Do not hurt a person’s heart

Adapted by Joy Pople from a presentation by William Haines

Universal Peace Federation

www.upf.org