Most people think that democracy is the best type of government, but it is not more important than the type of government how selfish or unselfish it is?
The question arises from the huge differences in equity of wealth distribution observed between the Gini coefficients of the countries, and how there are democracies with very low and very high coefficients, but even autocratic regimes with low coefficient values. The lowest the value the highest the equity of the society.
It is very likely that the Gini coefficients do not measure "only" inequity in a society but how selfish is a government.
And by selfish is considered how the government structure and its policies help in better distribution or not of wealth and opportunities for its fellow citizens.
According to this, the characteristics of a selfish government are, in no particular order:
- Poor government-state institutional presence outside major cities. This leads to poor effective territorial control, fostering illegal activities related to mining, drugs, blackmailing, smuggling, etc.
- Low investment in education and high investment in defense. Relative to each other.
- Over-regulation and high taxation of legal businesses, to compensate for lack of control on illegal ones.
- Politicians and high-courts magistrates consider themselves not as equals to the rest of the society but above it.
- Poor meritocracy for government and bureaucratic positions. Social contacts are more important than skills.
- Tax and policy benefits for small wealthy groups. Strong lobbyism.
- Weak political and legal institutions, without real independence, but interdependence.
- Big, inefficient and corrupted bureaucracy.
- Weak government control agencies.
- Pension rules and benefits are skewed towards the higher income population.
- There is lack of press criticism but government propaganda.
- The political and legal system do not favor the revocation or punishment of the inefficient or corrupt.
On the contrary an unselfish government has the following characteristics:
- Strong government-state institutional presence everywhere. Unfavorable conditions for illegal activities.
- High investment in education and low investment in defense. Relative to each other.
- There is no need for over-regulation or over-taxation of particular businesses, to compensate for lack of control on illegal activities.
- Politicians and high-courts magistrates consider themselves as equals and to serve the society.
- High meritocracy for government and bureaucratic positions. Government wants the best people working for the benefit of the society.
- Tax and policy benefits are focused in the less wealthy people. Weak lobbyism.
- Strong political and legal institutions, really independent.
- Small and efficient bureaucracy.
- Strong government control agencies.
- Pension rules and benefits are skewed towards the lower income population.
- Press is critical of the government.
- The political and legal system favor the revocation or punishment of the inefficient or corrupt.
Is your government mostly selfish or unselfish? What can be done to have a better government? Please share your ideas