But its very hard to get a valid intuitive picture of government competence.
The topic is complicated.
First, governments are not monolithic but are diverse collections of people and organizations. The variation in competency between them is considerable.
Second, what do you mean by “competence”? Efficiency (measured in what? money?) in pursuing goals? Any goals?
Third, I don’t think “future policy responses” have much to do with competence. I would think they will be determined by the goals and interests of politically powerful groups. Governments are mechanisms through which political power is wielded.
Fourth, reading the media is remarkably poor way of estimating pretty much anything. What’s wrong with estimating the government’s competence by looking at real-life results, long-term data?
Statistics published by large organizations such as UN, WHO, IMF, etc. They shouldn’t be taken as gospel, but should be sufficient for looking at broad outlines—e.g. infant mortality, education, public infrastructure...
The topic is complicated.
First, governments are not monolithic but are diverse collections of people and organizations. The variation in competency between them is considerable.
Second, what do you mean by “competence”? Efficiency (measured in what? money?) in pursuing goals? Any goals?
Third, I don’t think “future policy responses” have much to do with competence. I would think they will be determined by the goals and interests of politically powerful groups. Governments are mechanisms through which political power is wielded.
Fourth, reading the media is remarkably poor way of estimating pretty much anything. What’s wrong with estimating the government’s competence by looking at real-life results, long-term data?
Do you have good sources for that?
Statistics published by large organizations such as UN, WHO, IMF, etc. They shouldn’t be taken as gospel, but should be sufficient for looking at broad outlines—e.g. infant mortality, education, public infrastructure...