Temporary Committee
# Temporary committees ad hoc bodies formed to address specific issues have become a staple in modern governance, corporate structures, and international organizations.
While proponents argue they offer flexibility and expertise, critics warn of accountability gaps, opaque decision-making, and mission creep.
This investigative report delves into the complexities of temporary committees, analyzing their efficacy, legitimacy, and potential for abuse.
Despite their utility in crisis response, temporary committees often operate without sufficient oversight, leading to unchecked power, inefficiency, and democratic deficits.
Temporary committees have proliferated in recent decades.
The European Parliament, for instance, frequently establishes to investigate scandals like (European Parliament, 2017).
Similarly, corporations deploy to handle mergers or internal investigations (Harvard Law Review, 2020).
Yet, their rapid formation often bypasses traditional checks.
A found that, allowing some to persist indefinitely (LSE Governance Report, 2021).
Unlike permanent bodies, temporary committees frequently evade scrutiny.
A revealed that a UK government COVID-19 advisory committee operated without public minutes, raising transparency concerns (The Guardian, 2020).
Corporate examples are equally troubling.
The saw a special committee of directors absolve top executives despite evidence of systemic fraud (SEC Filing, 2017).
Critics argue such committees serve as for accountability (Columbia Business Law Review, 2019).
Temporary committees often exceed their mandates.
The, initially tasked with investigating intelligence failures, later influenced counterterrorism policy for years despite its temporary status (9/11 Commission Report, 2004).
Scholars like warn that undermining democratic governance.
Supporters argue that temporary committees enable rapid, expert-driven responses.
The successfully drafted regulations without bureaucratic delays (EUR-Lex, 2022).
However, critics counter that (Transparency International, 2021).
Without term limits or public oversight, even well-intentioned committees risk becoming ungovernable.
Temporary committees are a double-edged sword valuable in crises but prone to abuse.
To mitigate risks, reforms should include: - - - The broader implication is clear: unchecked temporary governance structures threaten institutional trust.
As warns, - European Parliament.
(2017).
- SEC Filing.
(2017).
- 9/11 Commission.
(2004).
- Transparency International.
(2021).
- Fukuyama, F.
(2023).
Stanford Press.