The Goal of Politics (CL4)

Government Solutions

Problems affecting the whole of society need solutions. Often civil society can provide the solution, but in most cases government is either indispensable due to the ramifications, or it takes over regardless. Governments intervene if they are widely expected to respond to discontent, and feel compelled to do so if stability is threatened.

Responses to problems ideally draw on Rationalist mode values which revolve around finding viable solutions. Government is an institution that should be impartial and impersonal—as befits its rationalist origin. However, our focus here is not on the goal of government, but on the goal of politics.

The goal of politics is getting government to choose or endorse a solution that your group wants—irrespective of its overall rationality or acceptability.

So governments do not always perform their proper role—because of «politics». Problems in government, due to politics understood in this way, are either due to:

• immaturity of political institutions; or
• the need for government to operate via its officials; or
• influences from higher Centres of this Tree (not yet identified).

More on choices

In terms of rationalist values, choices for a society should ensure that:

• the issues and the problems are identified
• there is sufficient analysis and investigation
• options are considered in a fair way
• views from those affected or interested are sought, &
• the nature of the society and its culture is considered.

The resultant choice, i.e. what precisely should be done, then needs formal sanctioning. However, all such considerations are outside the focus of this section. How things happen in society and how government introduces changes is examined in a later framework: Political Life. The focus here is limited to determinants of choice.

Influences

Details of the mutual influences between Government Solutions (CL4) and Centres identified in lower Levels (CL1-CL3), are examined in the next Topic, Before examining these, the dynamic duality needs to be applied. So…

Q: Are solutions for social issues intrinsically private or social?

A:

Both—this Centre is balanced. Why?

All solutions for a social issue, rationally developed or not, affect all directly or indirectly, and so must be social. Yet any solution also has a private and specific aspect since some people and groups are far more affected than others. That is why the choice is said to be «political». In the process, it is evident that individuals defending private interests have an influence, but at the same time, social values and public opinion can never be excluded.

Government solutions, the particular choices made with a view to implementation, become the focus for all who seek to benefit themselves under the rubric of «concern for society», as well as for those genuinely striving to improve society.

This essence of government as a rational service to groups, and the goal of power politics, is located in the centre of the Tree diagram: CL4_B.

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• Look more deeply at influences on government solutions.

  OR

• Move up to recognizing the social context of any governmental choice.

Originally posted: July 2009; Last updated: 2 June 2014.