সুশাসনঃ সূচক পরিচিতি-১(২৪)
To measure how well a "software" (governance) is actually running, researchers and international organizations use Governance Indicators. These are data points—some objective, some based on perceptions—that track the health of a political and administrative system. The most influential framework for this is the World Governance Indicators (WGI), developed by the World Bank.
1. The Six Worldwide Governance Indicators (WGI)
The World Bank tracks these six dimensions across more than 200 countries to provide a snapshot of governance quality:
Voice and Accountability: The extent to which citizens can participate in selecting their government, as well as freedom of expression and association.
Political Stability and Absence of Violence: The likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown by unconstitutional or violent means.
Government Effectiveness: The quality of public services, the civil service, and the degree of its independence from political pressures.
Regulatory Quality: The ability of the government to formulate and implement sound policies and regulations that permit and promote private sector development.
Rule of Law: The extent to which agents have confidence in and abide by the rules of society, including property rights, the police, and the courts.
Control of Corruption: The extent to which public power is exercised for private gain, including both "petty" and "grand" corruption.
2. Other Key Measurement Frameworks
While the WGI is the "gold standard," other organizations look at governance through different lenses:
Transparency International (CPI): Focuses specifically on the Corruption Perceptions Index, ranking countries by how corrupt their public sectors are perceived to be.
The Ibrahim Index of African Governance (IIAG): A comprehensive tool that monitors governance performance specifically across African nations, focusing on human development and economic opportunity.
OECD Indicators: Often focus on Regulatory Policy and the efficiency of public administration within developed economies.
Freedom House: Measures governance through the lens of Political Rights and Civil Liberties.
3. Challenges in Measuring Governance
It is notoriously difficult to "quantify" how a country is governed. Scholars often debate these indicators based on two main critiques:
Subjective vs. Objective Data: Most indicators (like the CPI) rely on perceptions from experts or citizens. While useful, perceptions don't always align with the hard reality on the ground.
The "Western Bias": Some critics argue that indicators favor Western-style liberal democracies and may not accurately reflect the effectiveness of different cultural or developmental models of governance.
Comparison of Indicator Types
| Type | Focus | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Input Indicators | What resources/laws are in place? | Does a country have an Anti-Corruption Law? |
| Process Indicators | How are decisions made? | How long does it take to get a business permit? |
| Outcome Indicators | What is the actual result? | Literacy rates or infant mortality levels. |
