Public Administration and Democratic Society - Essay Example

The previous decades has proven to be fruitful in the field of public administration. The question of the existence of public administration has longbeen answered and various concepts towards the improvement of the facets of the science are in practice to provide for its betterment. This fast evolving characteristic of the public administration has provided for innovations that are at play in many administrative systems in the world. Ideally, an amalgamated approach of the various concepts in different branches of public administration in the government will lead to a more productive and efficient system. As all the authors, from Cook to Barth to Osborne, have very specific ideas that are in practice in many democratic societies. This is without justification, since all have their own merit both in theory and in practice. Public Administration as an Enabling Institution It has been apparent that for more than 20 years the public has shown a general distrust for government and officials have earned little to no positive feedback from the people. They consider the federal government to be dispersing of funds and characterized by incompetence. But they view the service of government bureaucracy and politicians to be amicable, responsive and efficient. A disconnect between these two aspects and surveys is described as the "paradox of distance" by George and David Frederickson. Those who are within close perimeter to the people are viewed with trust while those who are further are considered to be incompetent (Cook, 2). When government bureaucracies function for the specific needs of the public it serves, then public administration is seen in a positive light. The public servants should not only serve its purpose for the benefit the people but it should also instigate the specific goals and determine other contributory factors to lead the people to act. A close relationship should be established between the polity and public to guarantee a working rather than apprehensive view of the government institutions (Cook, 3). Another factor to be considered is the accord between the ways public administration is shaped in regards to the economic goals of the state. Progress in both democracy and the economy come side by side as they should be shaped to achieve objectives far beyond their immediate goals. They serve a purpose that reverberates and attained externally. Cook regards the political bureaucracy as a means of achieving purposes that supersede its immediate purposes (Cook, 11). Public Administration as a Responsive System As the years progressed, the inter-lapping between public policies in different areas of public management and policy integration has developed. A reinvention of the bureaucracy is necessary to establish a faster response to the growing and immediate needs of the public. Government reform should be administered (Barth, 169). Public servants must also be cognitive of their role as being educators have become innate to answer public inquiry. For democracy to function coordinately there must be parallel goals. Administrators must also recognize the polarizations apparent in the state. Assimilation is necessary to address the problem of dissonance between the varied identities at play (Barth 170-171). The distinction between public administration and all the other social sciences is that it can never disregard that the primary concern of it is the translation of the theories into practices. It should fortify empowerment to the people as it should be the primary concern of the science. Through this, institutions are created to educate and enlighten the citizens regarding the necessities of the bureaucracy (Barth, 174). It premises itself on the basis of administrative system toward the transformation of the bureaucracy in the method of decision-making through the people’s involvement. It emphasizes on the need for a responsive relationship between community and bureaucracy. Government organizations should be reachable to the public. The underlying problem in this is the inherent subordination of the civil servants to elected or appointed officials of the polity. It may in this case prove to the ineffectiveness of giving solution to the problems of welfare. The role of these administrators may be compromised due to the lack of autonomy among these public servants. They tend to be answerable to many different liabilities imposed upon them by the bureaucracy (Barth, 176- 178). The disillusionment of the public in public administration needs to be reconsidered and a more reactive response is necessary to integrate the incongruence between the two. A deeper relationship between the public and the public it serves must be established. Because of this, a re-structuring of a highly bureaucratic system of public administration needs to be re-assessed to address these issues. The administrators working as educators may be given least emphasis as they must follow them as superiors before the general public. The first problem is the connection between public administration and the three primary government branches. Politicians may not give importance to the projects of the public servants as they may not direct favorable political service to the politician. This lack of autonomy equates to a number of restrictions imposed upon the system. Public administration therefore proliferates to be the single enforcer towards the goal of educating the public and serving their interests and empowerment (Barth, 194). As these innovative thoughts are introduced in public administration, it becomes inherent that certain dilemmas will arise toward its full implementation. The field has enveloped itself in the much bigger task of reconciling these new ideas with the current working system of governance. A Shift towards an Enterprising Government The word profit that has previously been a taboo with the idea of governance has been reinvented by Ted Gaebler. It has been reinvented in such a way that motivation for profit equates to public use. Gaebler became a spokesperson and a testament to the effectiveness of redefining public administrative system in such a way that it provides profit for public funding (Osborne, 198). Agreements between the government and other organizations become a means for it to earn, in a sense business-oriented policies were adhered upon as a favorable means for subsidy alternatives. Collecting fees for services rendered swiftly became an acceptable objective in different government agencies. This approach registered a favorable response from the public. It has been viewed as a preferred system as those who avail of it compensates the government while those who do not benefit from it do not need to shell a dime (Osborne, 203-204). Another aspect of this system is the goal of investment. It incorporates a need-to basis before acting upon projects and consequent spending. It is the integration of maximizing investment that will lead toward further savings. The main goal in some of the projects is traffic control rather than direct profit (Osborne, 206-208). Because it is a bolder approach to public administration, this type of innovation needs parameters to ensure the legitimacy of the projects and policies the agency involves itself in. Enterprise has become acceptable as it is an apparent part of various aspects of life and a nations inherent proclivity towards it. For as long as it does not become an outlet and source of corruption then the public will continue to be accepting of it. The Role of Public Administration in a Democracy Each of the different public administrative concepts has their own respective merits. As aforementioned, the integration of the qualities that best works in specific democracies would be a remarkable objective. Public administration as a means to enable the people and reconcile the differing opinions toward the government and the administrators would be an advantage. A responsive action from the government also brings the focus from the bureaucracy towards the people. And an enterprising government provides for a practical and tangible approach in public management. Between these principles, the best policy to establish to address the issue of the interconnectivity between the different government agencies would be Cooks view of public administration as an instrument towards the linkage of the public and the government. At the same time, it is in itself a working and less than amorphous institution. This fortifies the idea that since the introduction of public administration the citizens today are more aware of their role and impact in the shaping of the public policies. The authority of the government is decentralized as a means to give way to the role of the people in nation-building. The sovereignty of the people is placed above the authority of the government. An immediate interaction between those who serve and those who they serve becomes an integral part of this practice. This gives power to the people instead of brewing itself on the emphasis of government authority which is not the purpose and objective of any democracy. Its effectiveness is tangible since it incorporates many of the different issues and more lasting objectives it aims to attain. It does not dwell on the workings of the day but presents itself in a projected commitment to the future of democracy. Works Cited Barth, T. “Administering in the Public Interest: The Facilitative Role for Public Administrators.” Cook, B. “Public Administration as Instrument and Institution.” Osborne, D. “Enterprising Government: Earning Rather than Spending.” Read More