150/YOUR MONEY OR YOUR LIFE!
The conformity of the governed results from a process comple
mentary to that of the Instrumental exchange of resources: the
establishment of a reservoir of loyalty [author's note: within a
framework of submission] that allows for the temporary
acceptance of an unfavorable exchange. ... The legitimation of
power can be defined as a process through which those that govern
produce (or use) one (or more) system(s) of justification that enable
them to appeal, should the need arise, to other centres of social
power - to obtain effective obedience. (Leca, 1985)In fact, the development of good governance has nothing to do
with democracy. Rather, it is a set of policies aimed at obtaining
consent from the oppressed. In many cases, talk of good governance
is a figleaf for bolstering executive power and undermining social
movements.
THE FEASIBILITY OF AUSTERITY POLICIES
The OECD's Book of Government ABCs
In a document meant for government eyes, Organisation for
Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) official Christian
Morrison provides a number of recommendations. The document
makes one's blood boil, and requires little comment. Here are some
extracts (the subheads are my own):
First, on the objective of the report, called The Political Feasibility of
Adjustment (Morrison, 1996):
The Development Centre strives to identify and analyse the
problems that will arise in the medium term, both for OECD
member-countries and non-member countries, and to determine
trends in order to facilitate the development of appropriate policies.
This series of Economic Policy Notebooks provides the results of the
Centre's research work and is primarily meant for political leaders
and decision-makers concerned by its recommendations.
Economic stabilisation and adjustment policies may cause
social disturbances; they may even endanger a country's stability.
In this Economic Policy Notebook, the political consequences of such
programmes are analysed. From five in-depth studies and two key