Questionville.com - Politics - Government - Why is the government allowed to work in secret

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Q: Why is the government allowed to work in secret?

Submitted By: rvallee, 311 days, 23 hours, 54 minutes ago

This question has puzzled me for years as there is not a single accepted theoretical or practical explanation for it. It legally works through executive priviledge, but the benefits of this practice are anecdotal at best. The relationship between political decision-making and actual security, which is police, investigative and otherwise ground work, is hardly existant so considerations of national security are tenuous at best. Given the track record of history, granting benefit of the doubt to politicians is close to madness, yet all our political systems share this custom. I have heard of two accepted justifications in political theory (not by just browsing, I studied the stuff): - Tradition, hardly important - It is not easy to speak frankly when accountability is mandatory ( i.e. when people ask question as to why you made such a decision that affected the lives of millions) That latter justification was repeated by Bush lately regarding the confidentiality of his conversations with his staff. It is the main justification through which decision-making is privately carried out. The theoretical justifications are as poor as George Bush was defending the practical ones. Can anyone actually find a justification that does not defy simply everyday logic like the two accepted upon by political theorists?

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#1 ANSWER

safety

Submitted By: totalpardo ( 311 days, 23 hours, 24 minutes ago )

I believe it has to do with the safety of the average citizen and to protect the work itself. If 250 million people are fully aware of every black op, secret plane, etc, don't you think a few of them would be abscounded with by other governments? I don't want to know everything about the government's secret work. I do want to be secure. I think this is a fair trade-off. Plus, I am no expert. I am not going to understand much of the work - from a scientific nor a socio-political view. I read as much as I can about Nixon's Watergate and other scandals - those we would not know about if it were not for newspapermen and such. (Even after that story broke and SCOTUS ruled executive priviledge was not applicable, tricky **** found a way to erase the tapes...) I think they need a bit of secrecy - but not to protect against criminal liability. So, I think any justification I can offer would be flimsy at best. Now, if it is true accountability you seek, that is a different story. If you want to know where tax money is spent then contact your representatives. Oh, and voting helps.

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Submitted By: SpiralGuy

I agree with totalpardo. The average citizen needs to be protected and that's part of the govt's job. Every rational government believes that what they are doing is correct, just like every religion. If the govt believes that other govts are not acting toward their own best interest (ie, terrorists, or another country trying to overthrow them, or something like that) then they have reason not to share information with everyone or even their own citizens. This has become more important with the internet (speeding the spread of information). Without a clear, easy way to indentify someone who is against your way of life (ie, deomocracy, capitalism, etc that are the norm in the US), it's impossible to limit information flow to only the people who support that life instead the information spreads to those people, and those who are against that way of life. Does that make sense?

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Submitted By: rvallee

Well you may not want to hear about those programs. But no matter how much you don't want to hear about that growing tumor in your neck, you need to know about it to be able to react. Some people would rather not hear that stuff, but that's the best way to ensure it will come back biting, without providing any significant benefit in the first place. Granted that misuse of personal citizens' information by profiteers is possible, this has nothing to do with the government's policy work, which concerns spendings and decisions that affect the society in general. Representatives can play a limited role in accountability, but they are basically the police policing the police. They have similar interests to government officials and hence possible conflicts of interests. Furthermore, resting on representatives, rather than public disclosure, diminishes accountability, which offers no practical benefit.

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Submitted By: rvallee

And on the safety issue, what is the relation between government decision-making and police work? 24 was an entertaining shows but in real life presidents do not have intimate relationships with investigative agents doing police work. Security is a ground, physically-bound, work. Governments allow this work to be carried, but executives do not handle the actual security work, they provide the resources for them. National security is a catch-all explanation that provides anecdotal evidence at best. It is not sound judgement to base an entire political mechanism on something so tenuous.

#2 ANSWER

Because it is in the best interest of the people

Submitted By: GraysAnswer ( 311 days, 21 hours and 24 minutes ago )

The people have the responsibility to elect a governing body that will pursue the best interests of those people. Any naturally born citizen of our Republic may attempt to garner support and be elected to the governing body. (You did know America was a Republic not a Democracy didn't you?) It is the responsibility of the government to take action based on the wishes of the people. I for one wish to be protected by the government from internal and external threats. A simple proof will illustrate how it is in the best interest of the people for the government to withhold knowledge where it sees fit. Given: It is in the best interest of other governments and second tier parties such as conglomerates, religious groups and terrorists to pursue advantage against the American people in pursuit of their own individual goals. Given: Knowledge is power and possession of knowledge is possession of power. This theorem has been accepted and proven since the dawn of civilization. Given: Having a powerful government that protects the people it serves is in the best interest of the people. Result: If possessing knowledge, protecting this knowledge and preventing enemies from gaining this knowledge is in the best interest of the people, then a government must be allowed to withhold knowledge from the people to protect the people's best interest. If you wish to have the knowledge and participate in the decision making process, pursue a career in politics, otherwise shut up.

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Submitted By: rvallee

Threats and dangers are always physical. Knowledge is only power when it is intelligently used. It is always preferred by overwhelmed individuals, as are all politicians, to choose easier paths. But when decisions affect the lives of millions of individuals, giving the benefit of the doubt goes against the experience of every political institution in history. Knowing something won't protect against anything. Doing something intelligent about it does. A few individuals are not capable of understanding the best decisions available, especially in crisis situations. It has taken science centuries to understand some of the basic forces of the universe. Politics has barely managed to solve its most basic problems yet. Secrecy allows corruption and incompetence to go unpunished. There is not a single argument regarding safety, which is police and investigative matter, that outweighs the fundamental need of competent and honest politicians. It won't happen voluntarily.

ANSWER

They Make the Rules

Submitted By: EricB ( 311 days, 23 hours, 50 minutes ago )

They make the laws, so we cannot stop them? The only power people have when it comes to most governments, is electing, and impeachment. Unfortunately impeachment never happens, and revolutions are seldom.

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ANSWER

Actually...

Submitted By: mGee ( 311 days, 23 hours and 9 seconds ago )

The government is NOT allowed to work in secret. It still does though. As long as US Citizens are satisfied with the way things are, this will continue.

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Submitted By: rvallee

Executive offices can legally use the executive priviledge to keep documents and decisions secrets. They are legally granted that priviledge by explicit laws. The meetings of cabinet members is also subject to close legal confidentiality. It is very explicit in government laws, though never part of constitutional law so tucked away in administrative technicalities.