Government transparency

Invoked by politicians and activists of every ideological stripe, transparency is proclaimed a key to better governance. This chapter, distinguishing between the consequentialist and non-consequentialist defences of transparency, critically examines the most influential arguments in its favour. While most transparency scholarship proceeds within the consequentialist framework discussing the benefits and costs of transparency, the non-consequentialist arguments have not been systematically analysed. The chapter gives them the proper place on the map of transparency studies focusing on the idea that transparency testifies to the “people's right to know”. It concludes that both consequentialist and non-consequentialist defences of transparency must be committed to making room for secrecy in governance. It postulates that the direction of transparency studies should be expanded to seriously explore the conditions under which secrecy may be a legitimate form of governance.