Navigating the Global Governance Crisis

We are living in a time of crisis for the rule of law and governance around the world.

When I lived in the Philippines in the 1990s, democracy was fragile. Each election carried the risk of renewed dictatorship. It was hard to escape the realization that the warm, hardworking and creative people of the Philippines deserved better governance.

Now in 2025 that applies to nearly every country in the world, including Israel. We are living through a crisis of global governance. There is a reason why people see echoes of the 1930s in our politics today.

It is particularly challenging here in Israel where we have been living in parallel realities for years. We also face the consequences of the poor decision making across the MENA region and internationally.

At times it feels as though all of the adults have left the room. At the individual level, people live in media silos, believing”facts” of dubious origin, driven by divisive partisans. This does not help the vast majority of the population anywhere, anytime. Yet, it is harder and harder to find common ground.

It may be a helpful step forward to first acknowledge the universality of the governance crisis. There is unfortunately no FOMO.

And we also need to recognize that we play a role in the drama, for good, or for ill. The solution, like the problem, does not lay outside of ourselves.

As Pogo famously said about the environmental crisis in 1970:

It is easy to point fingers at public figures. Let’s instead focus on our own actions. We take decisions every day as to how to engage on challenging issues with friends, colleagues, family. These decisions can either dampen down conflict and heal divisions or make things worse.

I am going to take responsibility for whatever small impact I have in the world. I know that I can do better with my words and social media interactions.

This brings to mind something else that I first recall seeing in the Philippines: The Rotary Four Way Test:

To be fair, I have never been associated with an organization that actually implemented the Four-Way Test. But isn’t worth a try?

So here and now, I am making my own commitment to internalize these principles and to use them daily. Let’s see how I do.

Care to join me?

Or do you have a better idea?