Government that operates in the open, so that citizens can see how decisions are made and resources are used, practices transparency. Transparency is a precondition for accountability.

Freedom-of-information laws, public budgets, open meetings, asset disclosures, and accessible data portals are standard instruments. Transparency does not itself guarantee good decisions, but it raises the cost of corruption and arbitrary action. Officials sometimes resist disclosure by citing security, privacy, or deliberative candor.

Technology has expanded the possibilities for real-time transparency while also creating new risks of surveillance and data misuse. Civil-society organizations and journalists act as intermediaries who turn raw transparency into usable public knowledge. Cultures of secrecy are difficult to change even when formal rules improve.

• Openness of government processes and information
• Enables public scrutiny and accountability
• Implemented through laws and disclosure practices
• Balanced against legitimate confidentiality needs