Transcript
William Galston: It’s easy to believe that good people plus sound policies equal effective governance. Well, our founders were under no such illusion. They believed, and I think rightly believed, that well-conceived institutions matter as much as good people and sound policies. Indeed, and this is one of the great themes of the book that we’re gathered to celebrate, discuss and perhaps even critique this afternoon, bad institutions can frustrate the best intentions of good people and can thwart the implementation of sound policy.
Now because this is the Brookings Institution, every introduction must have at least one high-toned quote. Well, here’s mine, and it’s from Alexander Hamilton, Federalist Number 68, and I’m sure everybody on the panel knows what I’m about to say. Hamilton stated, after dissing Alexander Pope, he went on to say, “The true test of a good government is its aptitude and tendency to produce a good administration.”
Indeed, modern political science tells us that good administration is not only the key to effective implementation of public policy. It is also the basis of public trust and confidence in government.
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