Integrity of government,
governance and immunity
Addressing the question of how
to use government more effectively for infection control, addresses government
on many different levels, not just on the level of government of countries.
Government also has to do with
governance, as well as integrity, whether it concerns the government of a
country or the government of a human cell and its immune system.
Perhaps the multiplicity of issues
related to the H1N1 pandemic, will succeed in raising our level of concern in
both respects.
What is governance?
"Governance relates to
decisions that define expectations, grant power, or verify performance. It
consists either of a separate process or of a specific part of management or
leadership processes. Sometimes people set up a government to administer these
processes and systems." (1)
Perhaps the entire world will
begin to look at the H1N1 crisis in terms of government and governance in the
light of their expectations, as well as the power and performance of the
government in question. At best, it will be imperfect, because it is not divine
governance, which alone would be perfect. Note that all human beings do not
perceive divine governance in a positive light.
Thus, there will be worldwide
criticisms of governments everywhere; not everyone acknowledges the good
accomplished by governments or the number of lives saved by their action in
terms of governance.
Note these comparisons: Cell governance affects the human
immune system. At times, the immune system may have inappropriate governance or
governance that lacks integrity. This can happen in countries also. The
human cell can also function normally and maintain its full integrity. So can a
government, in any part of the world. A compromised human cell may not be able
to function at full capacity. This can be true of a government also. In other
works, its innate self-defense system may shut down. This can be temporary or
permanent and result in partial or total damage that in turn, may lead to
ultimate death.
Basic rules of integrity apply
to a human cell, as well as the government of a country. This only stands to
reason, as the government of a country is an extension of that same human cell;
it just includes other human beings en masse, who form their government.
Why would there be different
rules of governance or integrity? The same rules that affect a human cell
affect the government of a country, at least to some extent. Immunity offers
the human cell, as well as the government of a country, some degree of
protection.
Look at these definitions of
immunity: the state of not being susceptible, the condition in which an
organism can resist disease, the quality of being unaffected by something or an
act exempting someone (2)
A Canadian news bulletin, dated
November 12, 2009, suggests the following:
"Opposition politicians
and the media may be hammering governments for their handling of the H1N1
situation, but a new poll suggests Canadians themselves feel their governments
are doing an OK job. The media's coverage of H1N1 on the other hand - well,
that doesn't earn much admiration. The latest Canadian Press Harris-Decima
survey found that overall most respondents see all three levels of government as
having done at least a fair job of preparing for, and dealing with, the H1N1
flu virus." (3)
The expression OK may suggest
favorable, all right or good. Which is it?
The bottom line is the reality
that the integrity of governance affects the immunity of the human cell. This
is true regardless of the cell size, individually or collectively, all around
the globe.
How to use the government more
effectively for infection control, ultimately has to do with establishing and
continually maintaining its integrity of governance. Everyone plays a part in
that, at least to some extent, whether he or she recognizes that reality or not.
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