Introduction: The Concepts of

Politics and Governance

POLITICS, GOVERNANCE AND CITIZENSHIP
BSENT 2-1
 Learning objectives:
● Define and distinguish the different concepts of politics and governance and its
importance.
● The distinction between government and governance; and the role of citizens in
governance;
● Good governance principles/attributes;
● Governance and sustainable human development;
● Evolution of governance/government structure in the Philippines; and
● Corporate governance and the Ruggie Principle (Business and Human Rights)
 POLITICS:
Politics in General
● The word “politics” comes from the Greek word “polis” which means
“city-state.”
● Politics denotes a social activity.
● Politics is about conflict and cooperation.
● Politics is the creation, maintenance, and amendment of societal norms
or rules.
 DEFINITION OF POLITICS:
● Politics is the science of government.
● Define politics as the art
● Politics is the realm of public affairs or the state.

According to Ponton and Gill, politics is the “way in which social affairs are
understood and ordered, and by which people acquire greater control over the
situation. “
IMPORTANCE OF POLITICS:
1. Politics Helps You to Know Your Rights
2. Politics Clarifies What You Yourself Believe
3. Politics is a Living, Breathing Subject
4. Politics Helps You to Understand Our Nation's Parties
5. Politics Prepares You for Adult Life
CONCEPTS OF POLITICS
Order
● Order is central to the study of politics because it shows the different components of
human societies.

These structures or orders are community, government, and state:

(i) Community – one kind of social order which is an association of individuals who share a
common identity.
(ii) Government – a political order that maintains and perpetuates the community.
(iii) Nation-state – most distinctive and largest self-sufficient political configuration in the
modern world.
CONCEPTS OF POLITICS
Power
● The different social orders cannot be maintained without power.
● It is elementary to know that power has many sources aside from
physical force.
● Political scientists and philosophers, like Niccolo Machiavelli and
Friedrich Nietzsche, grounded their political treatises on the concept
of power. They explained the nature of politics by studying the
essence of power.
CONCEPTS OF POLITICS
Justice
● It is said that the correct exercise of power produces justice.
● It must be highlighted that the embodiment of order and power in
this modern times is law, whether written or customary.
● However, since law is a mere “approximation” of the ideal
concept of justice, it is never perfect.
GOVERNANCE
Governance in General
● The word “governance” came from the Latin verb “gubernare,” or
more originally from the Greek word “kubernaein,” which means
“to steer.”

● Basing on its etymology, governance refers to the manner of

steering or governing, or of directing and controlling, a group of
people or a state.
DEFINITION OF GOVERNANCE:
● Exercise of power or authority by political leaders for the
well-being of their country’s citizens or subjects.
● It is the complex process whereby some sectors of the society
wield power, and enact and promulgate public policies which
directly affect human and institutional interactions, and
economic and social development
CONCEPT OF GOVERNANCE:
● The process of decision-making and the process by which
decisions are implemented (or not implemented).
● Governance entails two processes: decision-making and
implementation of the decision
● Decision-making refers the process by which a person or group
of persons, guided by socio-political structures, arrive at a
decision involving their individual and communal needs and
wants.
● Implementation is the process that logically follows the
decision; it entails the actualization or materialization of the
plan or decision.
IMPORTANCE OF GOVERNANCE:
● Will be aware of the need for good governance. Consequently,
such awareness should move them to action.
● For their continued empowerment and sustainable
development, they have to know how to fight for their rights by
knowing what to expect from Philippine governance.
 The distinction between government and governance;

David Fasenfest (2010) stated that “Government is the office,

authority or function of governing.

Governing is having control or rule over oneself while

Governance is the activity of governing”.
 The distinction between government and governance;
Fasenfest (2010) stated that government is one of many institutions
which is a territorially based body that makes authoritative
decisions

While governance is a set of decisions and processes made to

reflect social expectations through the management or leadership
of the government.
 The distinction between government and governance;
“Governance is about activities and processes to achieve
collaboration around areas of common interest or stewardship..

While the government assumes legitimacy as written in the rules,

governance achieves the same through consensus, openness and
the common good.”
The distinction between government and governance;
Per Frank A. Weil (nd.), the government is only one arm of modern society
whose legitimacy and powers are from its taxes, spending, laws, and
regulations, while the other two arms are: the business/for-profit sector, which
derives its power from creating jobs and paying taxes and the nonprofit sector,
which derives its support by serving the public interest without profit.

Together these three arms constitute governance, which means governance is the
overall process of integrating and managing a modern society.
the role of citizens in governance particularly in the Philippine context.

Citizen Participation in Local Government from Open

Government Partnership website. It is in their legal system
to encourage citizen participation in governance.

According to tapales Ph.D. In the Philippines, citizens play

a crucial role in governance by actively participating in
decision-making processes and holding their leaders
accountable.
PRINCIPLES OF GOOD GOVERNANCE

TRANSPARENCY
● An open exchange of information
● Institutions, procedures, and data are easily observable and
comprehensible.

PARTICIPATION
● An open exchange of information
● Institutions, procedures, and data are easily observable and
comprehensible.
ACCOUNTABILITY
● Good Governance requires freedom of information, stakeholders who are
able to organise and the rule of law.
● Accountability differs depending on the organisation and whether the
decision is internal or external to an organisation.

EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY:

● Good governance means that processes and institutions produce results
that meet the needs of society while making the best use of resources at
their disposal.
 RULE OF LAW:
● Good governance requires fair legal frameworks that are enforced
impartially. It also requires full protection of human rights, particularly
those of minorities.
● Impartial enforcement of laws requires an independent judiciary and an
impartial and incorruptible police force.

CONSENSUS ORIENTED:
● Good governance requires mediation of the different interests in society to
reach a broad consensus in society on what is in the best interest of the
whole community and how this can be achieved.
● Requires a broad and long-term perspective on what is needed for
sustainable human development and how to achieve the goals of such
development.
ACCORDING TO UNDP
● Governance can no longer be considered a closed system. Changes in
the world’s economic, political and social systems have brought
unprecedented improvements in human living conditions. But these
changes also bring new uncertainties and challenges. The state’s task
is to find a balance between taking advantage of globalisation and
providing a secure and stable social and economic domestic
environment.
Sustainable Human Development

A working definition of sustainable human development (SHD)

refers to “equitable human and social development,
maintaining environmental integrity, and ensuring that these
conditions also be attainable for future generations” (Rucki,
2014).
Sustainable Human Development
● UNDP defines human development as expanding the choices for all
people in society.

● It also means protection of the life opportunities of future

generations...and...the natural systems on which all life depends"
(UNDP, Human Development Report 1996).

● This makes the central purpose of development the creation of an

enabling environment in which all can enjoy long, healthy and creative
lives.
Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to transform our world. They are a call to
action to end poverty and inequality, protect the planet, and ensure that all people enjoy
health, justice and prosperity. - world health organization
RELATIONSHIP OF GOVERNANCE AND
SUSTAINABLE HUMAN DEVELOPMENT
Governance and human development are indivisible. Human development
cannot be sustained without good governance. Governance cannot be sound
unless it sustains human development.

State - creates a valuable political and legal environment.

Private Sector - generates jobs and income.

Civil society - facilitates political and social interaction mobilizing groups to

participate in economic, social and political activities.
THREE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT
● Legislative - the ability to enact, amend, and repeal laws.
● Judiciary - holds the power to settle controversies involving rights that
are legally demandable and enforceable.
● Executive - having the power to put plans, actions, or laws into effect.
CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
term used to describe the rules, practices, and guidelines that control an
organization's management.

CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

describes tactics used by businesses as a component of corporate governance
to guarantee that their business practices are morally righteous and
advantageous to society.
 BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

● According to UNDP (2024), the most authoritative and widely adopted

set of principles for responsible business, endorsed in 2011 – call on
both governments and companies to identify, prevent, mitigate, and
remedy actual and potential human rights abuses.
 BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Under the United Nations “Protect, Respect and Remedy” framework, it is

the duty of national Governments to protect people within their territory
and/or jurisdiction against human rights abuses committed by third parties,
including businesses.
 RUGGIE PRINCIPLE / BHR
● In 2005, in the face of globalization and the impact of corporate
activities, the United Nations appointed Harvard professor John Ruggie
as its Special Representative for Business and Human Rights and
presented him with a difficult task: defining the principles that would
govern relations between both considerations.
● After six years of work, in 2011 the UN’s Guiding Principles for Business
and Human Rights, known as the Ruggie Principles, were endorsed, a
global initiative defining the parameters according to which countries
and companies should establish policies, standards and procedures for
their respective responsibilities and particular circumstances.
 BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

The First Pillar: The State Duty to protect Human RIGHTS

● The State duty to protect highlights that States have the primary role in
preventing and addressing corporate-related human rights abuse. It is a
standard of conduct - States may be held responsible for failing to act
appropriately to prevent and address corporate-related abuse. The
duty’s extraterritorial scope remains unsettled in international law.
 BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

The Second Pillar: The Corporate Responsibility to RESPECT

● Business enterprises should respect human rights. This means that
they should avoid infringing on the human rights of others and
should address adverse human rights impacts with which they are
involved.
 BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

The Third Pillar: The need for greater access to REMEDY

● States must take appropriate steps to ensure, through judicial,
administrative, legislative or other appropriate means, that when
such abuses occur within their territory and/or jurisdiction those
affected have access to effective remedy.
CSR BEFORE AND AFTER
Past:
- Early 20th century: Businesses start engaging in philanthropy and charitable giving.
- 1950s-1960s: Emergence of the concept of social responsibility alongside social and
environmental movements.
- 1970s-1980s: "Corporate citizenship" gains prominence, emphasizing social and ethical
responsibilities of businesses.

Present: Today, CSR is a key consideration for businesses across all sectors, with companies
seeking to build strong relationships with customers, employees, and communities by
addressing their concerns and positively impacting society and the environment.

CSR after BHR, Wettstein (2020) says that BHR challenged CSR to be more focused on
human rights.
RELATION OF CSR AND BHR
According to University of Washington School of Law Business and Human Rights
(BHR) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) are closely related concepts
that center on businesses that engage in socially and responsibly beneficial
activities.

Corporate Responsibility to Respect Human Rights- The UN Guiding

Principles require that businesses operating anywhere in the world respect all
internationally recognized human rights.
DIFFERENCES OF CSR AND BHR
CSR BHR
● focused more narrowly on holding
● focused on corporate voluntarism
corporations accountable for
and expectations of corporations
harm caused rather than on a
as citizens with responsibilities
positive recognition of the role
arising from their role as social
business might play in protecting
partners (Carroll 1999).
and promoting human rights
(Bilchitz 2009).