In this age it is very hard to think of government without thinking of democracy, and it is difficult to visualize democracy without thinking of general elections. Thus elections became the symbol of a democratic government. Wrong symbol, because many oppressive regimes conduct elections which have nothing to do with democracy. Such elections are usually rigged with various means based on the free exercise of naked power. When a claim to democracy is made by such regimes on the sole basis of elections such a claim should be rejected outright.

True democracy is the only path to good governance. But there are prerequisite which constitute necessary but insufficient conditions to both. These conditions are liberty, humanity, integrity and the rule of law.

It is obvious that democracy cannot be without liberty. This means freedom from domestic and outside oppression of all shapes and forms.

Nor can democracy and good governance exist with discrimination among human beings, whether based on sex, religion, ethnicity, race or any other consideration including individual opinion. Humanity requires treating all human beings equally and without discrimination.

Integrity forms the moral component of the preconditions to democracy and good governance. It means first and foremost morality in combination with objectivity, transparency and the respect of merit. It cannot coexist with nepotism, conflict of interest or abuse of power. The obvious alternative to integrity is corruption, which makes both democracy and good governance impossible.

The rule of law means that no one is above the law and that the government is a government of laws and not of persons. Applying law equally to all persons without discrimination, by an independent judiciary constitutes the ultimate assurance to liberty, humanity and integrity.

In Lebanon, the quest for good governance must begin with the full realization that the nation is deficient in all four prerequisites. In order to achieve good governance, the Lebanese must first fully subscribe to, and fight for the realization of, the ideals of liberty, humanity, integrity and the rule of law in any order that they find to be feasible.

If any one of these ideals is upheld, it will be possible to uphold them all.