3、越南——GOD GOVERNANCE FOR A GOOD SOCIETY.docVIP

Good Governance for a Good Society Ven. Dr. Thich Nhat Tu Head of Department of Buddhist Philsopophy Viernam Buddhist University Introduction While governance is the exercise of authority – political, economic and administrative – to manage national resources and affairs, good governance is the art of making the government more receptive and accountable to the needs and aspirations of its populace. The term “governance” used in economics (as regards corporate governance) and political science (as regards State governance) implies effective political institutions and the responsible use of political power by the State to guarantee sustainable economic and human development. In varied contexts, good governance refers to the rules, the process of decision-making and the ways in which decisions are implemented so that it would reinforce participation, accountability, effectiveness and coherence in society as a whole. Good governance as a concept is applicable to all sections of the society, such as government, legislature, the private sector, the corporate sector, secular and religious communities and non-government organizations (NGOs). In this paper the author confines the discussion to good governance in government in relation to a good society. Nature of good governance While bad governance is regarded as the root cause of all evil within our societies, good governance is considered as the interaction between democracy, social welfare and the rule of law. It is not easy to achieve good governance in its totality. Establishing good governance is to ensure sustainable human development as a reality. There are several characteristics of good governance, of which the following eight are of key importance: participation, rule of law, consensus-orientation, transparency, responsiveness, effectiveness and efficiency, equitability and inclusiveness, and accountability. Citizen participation is widely encouraged especially in decision-making and freedom of expression, w