ブックタイトル佐藤栄作　受賞論文集

概要

佐藤栄作　受賞論文集

第27回優秀賞3．Altruism, Accountability, and Legitimacy of NGOsThis section, we explore the nature of NGOs based on altruism, accountability andlegitimacy. The international NGOs may be an altruistic force in that they are notseeking benefits for themselves but for mankind, yet they may also do great harm.Many of the NGOs are concentrating their attention on three areas: labor relations,human rights, and the environment. 15Next and more fundamentally, there is theissue of legitimacy and accountability. NGOs are not by necessary altruistic and notalways a force for good. There are several arguments that, INGO networks can theirpolicy goals, build capacity among NGOs in the South, and preserve accountability tograssroots constituents. However, sadly very few INGOs seem to willing to follow thisapproach. As Michael Edwards points out: 16 What if the NGOs who protested so loudlyin Seattle turn out to be wrong in their assumptions about the future benefits that flowfrom different trading strategies? Returning to the issue of accountability, who paysthe price? Not the NGOs themselves, but the farmers in the Third World who will besuffering the consequences for generations. NGOs have always talked of the need to buildconstituencies, but have focused on problems in the Third World instead of lifestylechange at home, playing on the line that“your five dollars will make the difference.”Itrarely does, and what would make a difference like mass-based public protest againstWestern indifference is never given sufficient attention. Many NGOs have cut, backtheir public education budgets in recent years, considering this an overhead instead ofa core activity, while government spending is only slowly re-surfacing. 17There are cases where NGOs are mushrooming and results far behindexpectation. For example, it is reported that, in Africa,“Children lose out as NGOsmushroom”. 18Thisreportsthat,“Casesofchildrenwhohavenoaccesstomaterial15 ?Robert Grosse (ed), Civil Society and the NGOs, Chapter 4, Revisiting Rival States - Beyond the Triangle?InternationalBusinessandGovernmentRelationsinthe21stCentury,CambridgeUniversityPress,200516 ?Michael Edwards, Civil Society and Global Governance17 Mike Edwards, Time to put the NGO House in Order, Financial Times, 6 June 200018 AFRICA: Children lose out as NGOs mushroom, http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportID=70126899