Paper long abstract:

This paper investigates complex ramifications of irresponsible and corrupt governance, focusing on a long-drawn combination of irresponsible or incompetent policies, corrupt deals, bureaucratic incompetence, financial mismanagement, political self-interest and ideological slant that informs the treatment of a large proportion of the local population as second class citizens. Such a combination has produced a very serious jeopardy to public health, thus undermining a basic right of citizenship. It has engendered what has become known across the world as the ‘rubbish crisis’ in the Naples Region, whereby ordinary people have been forced to live, and die, among huge festering mounds of uncollected rubbish. The discussion builds towards the argument that in democracy claims of good government must be underpinned; day in day out, underpinned by observably responsible and efficient action and that when citizens’ health is at stake such a requirement of democratic governance becomes an absolute priority.