The Importance of Accountability in a democracy

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Date: 16/05/2012
The Importance of Accountability in a democracy
Democracy simply concerns being in a position to hold various governments to account. In most cases, elections become crucial in ensuring accountability is present in governments. This calls for all power centers and influence constituting the business community and the civil society alongside labor organizations to aid in the process. Accountability makes citizens to know who is accountable to whom and to what. With accountability, individuals sense the need for justice (Hudson 63).
Accountability is significant to meeting all the generational challenges in the world today. Crime, poverty and violence dominate States which fail to be accountable. States containing repressive and corrupt institutions characterized by a weak rule of law face an increased risk of criminal violence, civil war and terrorism. Democratic governance and political accountability are two inseparable entities. Both are important as much as peace, human rights and development are concerned. Accountability should be accepted by all democracies. With accountability, individuals become free to air their views and check the power of various governments. Accountability also ensures that legislations which get passed enhance just societies. Additionally, accountability enhances peaceful dialogue in order to overcome various tensions. It also ensures that all national resources are fairly and equally distributed.
Accountability is central to all civilized communities. Without accountability, individuals would not walk unarmed in streets, eat food prepared by others or pay wages into banks. Accountability enables individuals to have high expectations of their leaders and other people. In addition, accountability ensures that the government and the society remain stable.
Accountability is normally permeable. It is to some extend organic on how it shows itself in given forms that triumph for some time and then degenerates thus, decaying. It concerns power civilization amongst the political elite. Thus, individuals with power will look for ways to crush or evade democratic accountability. Accountability has enhanced the development of ideas, norms, values, rule of law and standards to make democracy a stable process (Hudson, 176).
In a democratic set up, the accountability principle holds the idea that officials of the government, whether appointed or elected are supposed to be responsible towards the citizenry of their actions and decisions. Accountability demands that all actions and decisions of the individuals within government should allow scrutiny from the public. In addition, the public contain the right to access such like information. In other words, accountability facilitates democratic governance. With no accountability, democracy becomes impossible. Thus, elections and the will of the people will be meaningless. Also, accountability involves power separation. This is the principle which demands that no government branch dominates the other. Additionally, each branch contains the power to scrutinize fundamental abuses by o...