Accountability Standards: Democracy-Based Rules Urgently Needed to Combat Surging Political Violence, Scholar Asserts

Understanding the Importance of Accountability Standards in Democracy

In today’s world, where political violence is on the rise, the need for accountability standards based on the rules of democracy has become increasingly crucial. A recent study by Christopher Koliba, a distinguished professor at the University of Kansas, emphasizes the necessity for a renewed dedication to democratic values and the establishment of accountability standards for government workers and scholars. Koliba’s work, published in the journal Public Administration Review, sheds light on the importance of upholding liberal democratic principles in the face of growing populism, democratic backsliding, and polarization.

The Forgotten Rules of Democracy

Koliba points out that in many instances, individuals may not be familiar with the specific values and rules that underpin liberal democracy until they are violated. He highlights the need to revisit the essential principles of democracy, especially the small-l liberal variety that emphasizes values such as the avoidance of power abuse, respect for individual rights, promotion of tolerance and restraint, and adherence to reason and truth. These values, which have been foundational to democracies around the world, have come under threat in recent years due to the rise of populism, authoritarianism, and a disregard for truth-telling.

The Call for Liberal Democratic Accountability Standards

Koliba’s study outlines seven liberal democratic accountability standards that he believes public administrators and scholars should adhere to. These standards focus on aspects such as authority, rights, tolerance, truth claims, and professional deference. By establishing clear guidelines for accountability based on democratic values, Koliba argues that we can address the current challenges of distrust in government, polarization, intolerance, and apathy towards truth.

Related Video

Embracing Democratic Governance Principles

Koliba emphasizes the need for a collective effort to uphold democratic governance principles in the face of contemporary threats to democracy. He underscores the importance of incorporating liberal democratic accountability standards into public administration practices, empirical studies, and theoretical frameworks. By engaging in conversations and debates around these standards, public officials and scholars can work towards safeguarding democratic institutions and promoting a culture of accountability and transparency.

Links to additional Resources:

1. www.internationalidea.org 2. www.accountability-standards.org 3. www.transparency.org. 

Related Wikipedia Articles

Topics: Liberal democracy, Public administration, Accountability standards

Liberal democracy
Liberal democracy, western-style democracy, or substantive democracy is a form of government that combines the organization of a representative democracy with ideas of liberal political philosophy. Common elements within a liberal democracy are: elections between or among multiple distinct political parties, a separation of powers into different branches of government,...
Read more: Liberal democracy

Public administration
Public administration, or public policy and administration, is the academic discipline that studies how public policy is created and implemented. It is also a subfield of political science that studies policy processes and the structures, functions, and behavior of public institutions and their relationships with broader society. The study and...
Read more: Public administration

Marketing Accountability Standards Board
The Marketing Accountability Standards Board (MASB), authorized by the Marketing Accountability Foundation, is an independent, private sector, self-governing group of academics and practitioners that establishes marketing measurement and accountability standards intended for continuous improvement in financial performance, and for the guidance and education of users of performance and financial information.
Read more: Marketing Accountability Standards Board