Why Governments Often Fail to Deliver: The State Capacity Challenge

Why did countries with pandemic preparedness plans struggle during COVID-19 while others succeeded? Why do billions in development aid fail to improve lives? The answer sometimes isn't bad policy or insufficient funding. It's state capacity.In this episode, we explore why governments struggle to deliver on their promises with Dr. Joana Naritomi, economist and Deputy Dean at LSE's School of Public Policy. Drawing from her work on the London Consensus, we examine determinants of state capacity, how to go about diagnosing it and why the implementation of policy is something every policymaker needs to keep in mind even at the planning stage.Recording Date: November 20, 2025Host: Kartik Sanade - Lead Editor - The Public Sphere Journal, LSE School of Public PolicyGuest: Dr. Joana Naritomi - Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs - LSE School of Public Policy - https://joananaritomi.comProduction: Leonardo Luksic, Kartik Sanade, and Muawiya Mahomed | PSJ Podcast Team, School of Public PolicyMusic by AudioCoffee: ⁠https://www.audiocoffee.net/⁠