curiousbrain
Well-Known Member
The basic question matrix is this:
Is government transparency a good thing?
If it is a good thing, is there a point where transparency has to end?
If it is a bad thing, how can the populace make an informed decision?
Some of my own thoughts on the matter.
To the question at hand, my stance (as usual) is shrouded in shades of grey. An amount of transparency must be available for a populace to make an informed decision about the issues of the day, and anything less than that results in an unintentional ignorance on the individuals part. However, too much transparency results in a government paralyzed by inaction because it is unable to make objective, rational decisions for fear of its inability to explain it on a level the average individual will understand.
A certain amount of ignorance on the individuals part is to be expected; the average citizen in this day and age cannot be expected to be well versed in political science and/or other abstract fields. To that end, the governments job is to be versed in these abstract fields and promote the welfare of its own citizens when dealing with other countries; in this regard, too much transparency does not allow the government to do its job.
Although, on the other hand, if the entire world acted in accordance with principles of transparency, the problem(s) outlined in the previous paragraph would cease to exist because the landscape of world politics would be more conducive to transparency. In the current landscape of world politics, however, I would stake out my own position that too much transparency is not just a utopian ideal, excepting the entire world simultaneously adopting principles of transparency, but that it is dangerous for a nation to reach too far in this direction.
Personally, I think this is relevant not only in light of the WikiLeaks situation, but also because this country has two wars and an additional military action in progress. To think about what the country as a whole has the right to know is to examine not only the reasons why one supports a war in the first place, but in how a country should conduct itself during a conflict.
Is government transparency a good thing?
If it is a good thing, is there a point where transparency has to end?
If it is a bad thing, how can the populace make an informed decision?
Some of my own thoughts on the matter.
To the question at hand, my stance (as usual) is shrouded in shades of grey. An amount of transparency must be available for a populace to make an informed decision about the issues of the day, and anything less than that results in an unintentional ignorance on the individuals part. However, too much transparency results in a government paralyzed by inaction because it is unable to make objective, rational decisions for fear of its inability to explain it on a level the average individual will understand.
A certain amount of ignorance on the individuals part is to be expected; the average citizen in this day and age cannot be expected to be well versed in political science and/or other abstract fields. To that end, the governments job is to be versed in these abstract fields and promote the welfare of its own citizens when dealing with other countries; in this regard, too much transparency does not allow the government to do its job.
Although, on the other hand, if the entire world acted in accordance with principles of transparency, the problem(s) outlined in the previous paragraph would cease to exist because the landscape of world politics would be more conducive to transparency. In the current landscape of world politics, however, I would stake out my own position that too much transparency is not just a utopian ideal, excepting the entire world simultaneously adopting principles of transparency, but that it is dangerous for a nation to reach too far in this direction.
Personally, I think this is relevant not only in light of the WikiLeaks situation, but also because this country has two wars and an additional military action in progress. To think about what the country as a whole has the right to know is to examine not only the reasons why one supports a war in the first place, but in how a country should conduct itself during a conflict.