Human Behaviour Key To Governance

In Nepal, more focus has been placed on establishing good governance rather than addressing the core factors that impact it. One of the key elements of governance is human behaviour, which possesses a critical role in promoting good governance. This is due to the mind and hands of human resources engaged in governance mechanisms. This means there is a fine line between governance and good governance, which can be referred to as 'governance-good'. 

Government, governance, 'governance-good' and good governance have interconnected relationships. People's satisfaction is reflected in their positive mindset through the harmonious relationship between the government and citizens. To ensure the happiness of its citizens, the government carries out sectoral programmes that are implemented through a behavioral approach, leading to tangible, effective results on the ground.

Pillars of decentralisation

Governance primarily focuses on processes, structures, and policy implementation. It is a comprehensive framework of mechanisms, rules, norms, and practices through which power is exercised to drive the holistic development of both the people and the nation. The four pillars of decentralisation — delegation, de-concentration, devolution, and divestment (D4) — are implemented by governance mechanisms, such as institutions, established in a federal democracy, spanning from the central to local levels. The primary objective of these decentralisation strategies is to effectively achieve the goals of the State, implementing rules, policies and decisions. 

Governance is not merely about the structures and policy implementation by the government's line agencies at the central level, across seven provinces, in 753 municipalities and rural municipalities. It also extends to the broader involvement of the private sector, civil society, and non-governmental organisations. As the primary stakeholder representing the State and the sovereign people, the government plays a central role in practicing governance, with its functions taking precedence in the pursuit of establishing good governance.

In its truest sense, a distinct psychological aspect of human behaviour, termed 'governance-good,' exists between governance and good governance. The core element of 'governance-good' lies in the conduct of individuals within institutions and agencies of the governance system. When their behaviour becomes people-friendly, public service delivery can achieve its fullest potential, demonstrating impactful outcomes. 

These two concepts may appear indistinguishable. Many scholars argue that good governance and 'governance-good' carry the same meaning.  As a result, the importance of 'governance-good' has often been overlooked under the assumption that individuals working in various capacities within organisations and institutions are inherently committed to working for the nation with high levels of dedication. This assumption often fails to reflect reality. This aspect of the study delves into human psychology. When human behaviour is positive and driven by motivation, policy implementation trails effective governance throughout the country. Once governance improves, its positive effects create a ripple, leading to the emergence of good governance.

Unless the governance clearly demonstrates its effectiveness, it will be an immense challenge and a herculean task to convince the public that good governance is in place. A fundamental part is determining how to make governance truly effective. Public service institutions, where bureaucratic personnel work and which carry a decisive role in the implementation of government policies, must receive focused attention. 

The bholi aaunus (come tomorrow) syndrome stands as one of the primary barriers to delivering essential public services, undermining the dignity of those in need. When citizens, who have traveled long distances to access government services, are told to come tomorrow without any valid reason, it breeds distrust and a negative perception of both the government and its system. The tendency of ghara ma kalam rakhera karyalaya ma aaune (come to office by keeping a pen at home) has emerged in recent years as a distinct characteristic among many bureaucrats, displaying their reluctance to make decisions. These senior officers fear taking responsibility and signing off on decisions within their purview, often opting to pass the responsibility to others. Probably, this would be one of the reasons why several issues that should be settled at the ministry level are forwarded to the Council of Ministers for decisions. 

Politeness of public servants 

While dealing with the public, the politeness of public servants plays a pivotal role in strengthening democracy by fostering genuine and meaningful connections between the people and the government. Public servants are not rulers; they are simply servants of the people, as their salaries are drawn from the hard-earned taxes of citizens. The conventional demeanor of chakari (sycophancy) and jee-hajoori (subservience) yield no productive results in democratic governance. Today's governance system demands deeper engagement between the people and the government, clearly focusing on inclusive development efforts. Whether at the federal or local level, the primary concern should be people-centric development initiatives, emphasising tangible, real-world outcomes rather than relying on charts shown in papers.

Human attitude creates barriers to changing the mindset of people, hindering the establishment of a strong work culture and promotion of positive societal values within society. To make governance effective, it is essential to address the human factor. Public servants must be well-motivated to utilise their skills and knowledge to transform governance into good governance. In this regard, the role played by individuals working within the governance system is crucial and must be nurtured. Once the human aspect of the governance mechanism — encompassing behaviour, attitude, and psychological positivity — is properly addressed, it leads to improved performance of the core elements of good governance.

(The author is a former secretary of the Nepal government.)