Governments do not just make policies. They are also responsible for creating a climate in which people enjoy peace and security. The rules that they set to shape the relation between state and society in the broader security area are of growing importance not only in societies in transition but also in established political systems.
This is an aspect of governance that has often been overlooked because of the emphasis in the democratization literature on institutional reform. One important issue in transitional societies is clearly how the political leadership structures its relations with the military. In many such societies, the military has held political power in the past and is unlikely to relinquish it without setting certain conditions.
Dealing with violence and poverty in society is another set of issues that transcends the boundaries of individual policy and enters the governance realm. What rules, formal and informal, do government put in place to meet popular expectations of freedom from fear and want? These are systemic concerns that no other institution but government has ultimate responsibility for. Taking on these 'big' issues is not easy and many governments are unwilling to face up to the challenge.
