Problem
Domination of government policy-making by short-term considerations
Other Names:
Short-term policy makingImmediate appeasement responses of leadership
Economic priorities rule
Immediate economic priorities
Nature:
Governments tend to seek to satisfy immediate national desires which are generally inconsistent with safeguarding the interests of future generations. This is particularly true where governments are elected for relatively short periods (for example, 2-5 years). Leaders are then motivated by the effective terms of their political tenure, or the comparable interval of some national plan. In addition, governments are staffed by individuals whose outer horizon of relevance is often bounded by their own death, or at most, by the life of their children or grandchildren. The notion that man's use of the earth is a sacred trust for future generations, although present in pre-industrial societies, has been lost in industrial societies. Incidence:
Government policy frequently reflects pressure from the business community even when it is not the direct voice of that community. In the case of interest-payment defaults on international loans, lending banks, agencies and consortia influence governments to postpone settlement by authorizing and supporting the re-financing of nearly insolvent countries. This short-term solution is gambling with the entire world monetary system. Broader Problems:
Irresponsible policy-makingShort range planning for long-term developmentInsensitivity to non-immediate hazards to society Narrower Problems:
Crisis oriented operations Related Problems:
AppeasementBiased government informationDomination of the world by sovereign statesGlobal complexity as a hindrance to leadershipRestrictive regulations for disposal of nuclear waste Aggravates:
Policy vacuumTrading with the enemyBroken government promisesIneffective global leadershipUnpredictable governmental policyConflicting international prioritiesUncoordinated government policy-makingDamage to the environment during national crisesLimit to collective comprehension span in societal learningNeglect of environmental consequences of government policiesDowngrading of services with nonquantifiable long-term benefitsUnsustainable short-term improvements in agricultural productivityOver-emphasis on immediate solutions in resource development research Strategies:
Placating opponentsAltering immediacy syndromeCriticizing short range planning for long-term developmentDominating government policy-makingDeveloping government policy Subject(s):
Societal Problems → ImbalancesGovernment → Government
Law → Law
Economics → Economic
International Relations → Peacekeeping
Policy-making → Policy
Related UN Sustainable Development Goals:
Problem Type:
F: Fuzzy exceptional problems Date of last update
27.03.2000 – 00:00 CEST