دکتر محسن محمودی

The concept of good governance has emerged as a dominant paradigm in contemporary global discourse, influencing policy agendas worldwide. However, it has faced significant criticism from various theoretical perspectives, including postmodernism, poststructuralism, neo-marxism, and theocratic thought. These critiques primarily challenge the epistemological and methodological foundations of the governance discourse, emphasizing the importance of context-specific understandings. Critics argue that effective governance solutions must be locally derived, reflecting the unique historical, social, and cultural conditions of each society. They contend that externally imposed prescriptions, particularly from international institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, often fail to adequately consider these local realities. This paper, based on a comprehensive literature review of governance and good governance, examines the implications of these critical perspectives. While acknowledging the potential benefits of good governance principles for enhancing government performance and promoting development, the analysis suggests that critical engagements with the governance discourse have largely remained confined to limited and often skeptical debates. These debates, while generating valuable insights, have not yet resulted in a fundamental re-evaluation or revision of the core tenets of the governance paradigm.