Skip to content

Ask an Academic

  • Home
  • Ask a Question
  • Contact Us
Crowd of people

The politics-administration dichotomy

September 25, 2019 by AskanAcademic.com

The origins of the politics-administration dichotomy are thought to lie in an essay written by Woodrow Wilson in 1887. At that time, he...

Question

What led to the study of the politics-administration dichotomy?

Answer

The origins of the politics-administration dichotomy are thought to lie in an essay written by Woodrow Wilson in 1887. At that time, he was concerned to create a distinction between politicians who decide policies, and administrators who deliver these policies. If there is no distinction in these two roles, the ideologies of the politicians can be quickly imposed upon every area of life. Woodrow Wilson was concerned about the possible abuse of the system by powerful Republican politicians in the United States, and this is what led him to study these issues.

The main point of the politics-administration dichotomy is that senior civil servants should be independent from political parties, and should operate according to professional principles and standards developed over many years. They can act as a counter-balance to the power of politicians and they can provide continuity when a political regime changes. If policies are proposed that run counter to the stated values and traditions of the country as a whole, then senior civil servants can call politicians to account and remind them of their obligations to the people. They can also direct their staff to deliver policies in an equitable manner, rather than in a partisan way.

This idealised dichotomy between politics and administration is still being studied today. The problem is not so much the theory, which is accepted as valid and useful, but the difficulties that arise when people try to put it into practice. It is part of human nature for alliances to be built and oppositions to be formed across the boundaries of politics and administration. Modern public life is very complex and this makes it difficult to find rules and systems that keep political and administrative roles separate, while at the same time allowing them to work together effectively.

References

Post navigation

Previous Post:

How do individuals and groups work in an organised company?

Next Post:

How loyalty card analytics can impact decision making in a retail organisation

Search Q&As

Categories

  • Art Media and Literature (73)
  • Business and Management (256)
  • Computing and ICT (14)
  • Construction and Engineering (35)
  • Education (90)
  • Environmental Sciences (2)
  • Finance and Economics (91)
  • Health (64)
  • Languages (12)
  • Law (88)
  • Mathematics and Statistics (2)
  • Medical Sciences (19)
  • Politics and International Relations (83)
  • Research Methodology (1)
  • Science (49)
  • Social Sciences (101)

Archives

Who We Are

Askanacademic.com is owned and operated by All Answers Ltd, a company registered in England and Wales. Company Registration No: 4964706. VAT Registration No: 842417633. Data Controller No: Z1821391.

Registered office:
Venture House
Cross Street
Arnold
Nottingham
NG5 7PJ

Main Navigation

  • Home
  • Ask a Question
  • Contact Us

Legals

  • Cookie Policy
  • Privacy Policy

Popular Categories

  • Business and Management
  • Law
  • Finance and Economics
  • Health
An an Academic Logo
© 2022 Ask an Academic | WordPress Theme by Superb Themes
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Reject
Read More
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT