Good Government and Good Governing
Good Government and Good Governing
This chapter discusses the history of good government reforms in the United States. What we can learn from this history is that it is not enough to cut the costs of government. To improve performance and rebuild public trust, it is necessary also to invest in people—to prioritize not just good (read: cheap) government but good governance. If we learn anything by studying the public reputation crisis, it is that quick cost-cutting gains are not always beneficial in the long run; indeed, what is best for short-term efficiency and what is best for long-term efficacy can sometimes conflict, as downsizing can increase some longer-term costs and actually decrease some agencies’ capacity to fulfill their core mission. This suggests that political leaders who are intent on improving government performance must make clear steps to set their efforts up for success, both by getting early buy-in from public employees and by prioritizing long-term goals over short-term fixes.
Keywords: Good governance, government reform, National Performance Review, downsizing
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