Global Agenda Council on the Future of Government 2011

Governments are faced with a double crisis. Citizens seem less engaged in government plans and initiatives, while governments are pressed for greater levels of transparency and accountability, and in the delivery of public services and execution of their missions.

The crisis has accentuated both. Citizens see their governments struggling with the imperative of an ill-defined sphere of “global governance” while the fate of those most affected by the downturn reignites debates about “big” vs “small” government, and the optimal degree of public intervention in private affairs.

Thus, the rapid growth of global interconnectivity and the emergence of new interaction tools such as social networks raise opportunities to rebuild confidence and efficiency in government. However, it also points at new challenges, including a possible redefinition of what citizens should expect from their governments (and vice versa).