At the core, governments are decision-makers. They have to make decisions which would directly influence their citizens, and a good government is one that is revered by its citizens for the contribution it makes to its people. Undeniably, unpopular decisions that are beneficial to the future of the country may sometimes be necessary. However, in light of current political trends most countries adopt, it has become more difficult to make unpopular decisions. Nevertheless, some popular decisions made by ignorant or unscrupulous governments may be detrimental to the country. As such, I agree that a good government needs to be able to bite the bullet and make unpopular decisions that are crucial for the country’s survival.
A good government must have courage to make unpopular decisions that would benefit the country. The government is the only institution with a bird’s eye view of all stakeholders within the country. Unlike ordinary citizens which may have a limited view of situations, the government has the capacity and the capability to consider the future. Thus, the government sees the big picture and is able to weigh the benefits and costs pragmatically, before deciding on its actions. Consider for instance, the National Security Agency (NSA), a governing body in the United States of America, which had controversially tapped on to phone calls and messages of individuals to track terrorist activities. When news of these nationwide spying was leaked, many individuals were outraged at such massive breach of privacy. It would not be difficult to empathise with the Americans over such a blatant breach of privacy. However if we consider the context under which the surveillance program was implemented, the issue is not as black and white as it seems. The surveillance program was implemented in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In the immediate aftermath, strict security measures were put in place such as body scans in the airport. Individuals, at that time, were more than willing to sacrifice their personal privacy in exchange for security. Ten years onward, the threat and fear of a terrorist attack has waned along with the harrowing memory of the 9/11 attack. Contrary to public beliefs, terrorist attacks are still a threat to Americans as proven by the recent rise of terrorist group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). Therefore, it is evident that US citizens also failed to recognize just how valuable the policy is after living through a long era of peace. Thus, unpopular decisions must be made in order to ensure the well-being of citizens.
More at https://www.domainofexperts.com/2021/08/a-level-essay-good-government-is-one.html
A good government must have courage to make unpopular decisions that would benefit the country. The government is the only institution with a bird’s eye view of all stakeholders within the country. Unlike ordinary citizens which may have a limited view of situations, the government has the capacity and the capability to consider the future. Thus, the government sees the big picture and is able to weigh the benefits and costs pragmatically, before deciding on its actions. Consider for instance, the National Security Agency (NSA), a governing body in the United States of America, which had controversially tapped on to phone calls and messages of individuals to track terrorist activities. When news of these nationwide spying was leaked, many individuals were outraged at such massive breach of privacy. It would not be difficult to empathise with the Americans over such a blatant breach of privacy. However if we consider the context under which the surveillance program was implemented, the issue is not as black and white as it seems. The surveillance program was implemented in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. In the immediate aftermath, strict security measures were put in place such as body scans in the airport. Individuals, at that time, were more than willing to sacrifice their personal privacy in exchange for security. Ten years onward, the threat and fear of a terrorist attack has waned along with the harrowing memory of the 9/11 attack. Contrary to public beliefs, terrorist attacks are still a threat to Americans as proven by the recent rise of terrorist group ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria). Therefore, it is evident that US citizens also failed to recognize just how valuable the policy is after living through a long era of peace. Thus, unpopular decisions must be made in order to ensure the well-being of citizens.
More at https://www.domainofexperts.com/2021/08/a-level-essay-good-government-is-one.html
