Good governance?

I'm still moving around the blocks that have been placed in my mind by Jared Diamond's writing and thoughts. I might even be able to form them into something sensible! At the moment I am dwelling on an overview of how his latest book took shape: On Failing to Think Long Term.

Here is a question that I see framed: Is the role of a good government to make sure that we don't chop that last tree down? That resources are conserved for the greater good, and not destroyed by those lucky enough to control them.

Put another way, to balance the need for many competing and communicating interests, but to stop them from destroying the commons through their competition. 

If this works for society, then what of a company that is not run as a centralised command and control hierarchy? Is there an added role for the leadership in a company such as the one run by Brian Joffe - to make sure that the short term internal competition within the company does not prevent it from building the resources to thrive in the long term?

10:00:57 PM