Democratic Accountability: The Third Sector and All

59 Pages Posted: 25 Jun 2003

See all articles by Robert E. Goodin

Robert E. Goodin

Australian National University (ANU) - Research School of Social Sciences (RSSS)

Date Written: June 2003

Abstract

The state, the market and the voluntary non-profit sectors can be seen as each being characterized by a distinctive accountability regime. Those regimes focus on different subjects of accountability (actions, results and intentions, respectively) and on different mechanisms of accountability (hierarchy, competition and cooperative networking, respectively). Different regimes can complement one another, enhancing the democratic accountability of the system overall. They can also undercut one another, if their differences are not respected. Bringing the Third Sector under a market-style accountability regime, through 'public-private partnerships' based on competitive tendering, undermines the distinctive contribution that the Third Sector might make.

Keywords: Nonprofit, Democratic, Accountability

Suggested Citation

Goodin, Robert E., Democratic Accountability: The Third Sector and All (June 2003). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=418262 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.418262

Robert E. Goodin (Contact Author)

Australian National University (ANU) - Research School of Social Sciences (RSSS) ( email )

Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 0200
Australia
61 2 6125 5111 (Phone)