Iranian Journal of Public Policy

Iranian Journal of Public Policy

Political Settlement, Institutional Reform & Development: A Critical Assessment Of Good Governance Approach Based On Political Settlement Analytical Framework

Document Type : Research Article

Authors
Mohammad Mahdi Dehdar 1
Hojjat Kazemi 2
1 Ph.D Student of Political Science, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
2 Assistant Professor of Political Science, Faculty of Law and Political Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
10.22059/jppolicy.2025.102511
Abstract
Good Governance, a key approach in development studies, advocates institutional reforms to achieve transparency, rule of law, participation, effectiveness, and efficiency. While widely supported, this paper critiques the "Good Governance Agenda" through Mushtaq Khan’s "Political Settlement" framework, using a critical assessment approach. This study explores two main questions: What are the weaknesses of the Good Governance approach from the Political Settlement perspective? And how can this alternative framework improve governance reforms? We hypothesize that while Good Governance emphasizes institutional reform, the Political Settlement framework reveals that governance reform outcomes depend on power distribution and the positions of actors in a socio-political context. Neglecting these informal dynamics often leads to reform failures. Our findings show that Good Governance’s universal, static and technocratic agenda overlooks the complex realities of power and rent distribution in political settlements. The Political Settlement framework offers a more nuanced understanding, explaining the developmental successes of East and Southeast Asian nations—where Good Governance falls short.
Keywords
Good Governance
Political Settlement
Mushtaq Khan
Distribution of Power
Development
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Iranian Journal of Public Policy
Volume 11, Issue 2
Spring 2025
Pages 137-155