Inclusiveness a key factor in defining good governance

I refer to the letter “A good govt serves majority, not sectoral interests” (July 22). A couple of things must be considered carefully for a holistic view on this.

Technically, democracy is a tool whereby the majority decide, individually, how they would like to be ruled, based on what they perceive to be the best available choice. Naturally, the chosen government can be expected to serve the majority’s interests.

However, democracy’s unique selling point is the space the system provides for negotiating with sectoral interests to accommodate them in the mainstream — not ignoring or suppressing them for the sake of protecting or pleasing the majority.

Though it is challenging, good governance can be measured by the degree of success achieved in this area.

Corruption and corrupt leadership are independent of what kind of governing system a country has, as proved regularly worldwide. Trying to quantify the corruption level and deciding which system is least corrupt may thus be a flawed approach.

Typically, efficient governance and corruption are inversely correlated. But that does not guarantee inclusiveness, which is a critical factor in defining a good government.