Accountability: Angst, Awareness, Action

5

Legislative Accountability

No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's consent.

 

Abraham Lincoln, 1809–1865

This chapter examines the functioning and effectiveness of the key mechanisms enforcing accountability in the Legislature. The matrix in Figure 5.1 lists the key internal, horizontal and external accountability mechanisms in the Legislature and assesses their ability to reinforce the four foundations of accountability—Appropriate Representation, Participative Conduct, Legitimate Conduct and Liability Enforcement.

 

 

Figure 5.1 Mechanisms in the Legislature

 

Let us take each foundation and closely examine the ...