Administration and Politics Dichotomy - Paper
Politics Administration Dichotomy
Wood Wilson 's politics administration dichotomy states the idea that administrative decisions need to be made without the influence of politics. Since the beginning, there have been arguments on the connection between politics and administration. It is and continues to be a constant and ever growing debate of the powers of the developing countries.
Woodrow Wilson 's essay detailing the study of administration has been viewed as the beginning of public administration as a field of study. He sought to investigate organization and the methods governments use to successfully accomplish its tasks with the most efficiency at the least possible cost. In his essay he suggested the existence of main difference between politics and administration. It was this difference that became known as the politics-administration dichotomy. Politics being the expression of the will of the state and administration being the execution of that will.
Wilson’s theory has proven to be practical and very workable as the United States began changing from a rural agricultural society to an industrial nation. With these changes there were more requirements and a considerable response from the citizens for more public administrations functions and programs to be established. Public administration changed in the United States after WWI, as the population increased so did the need for public works, public health, and public safety. Public administration as an action was booming during this time and still is today.
At the Minnowbrook Conference of 1968 young academic students would argue for fresh ideas to be implemented when building a new public administration. They wanted one built on mutual trust and love of mankind and showed opposition to the traditional ways public administration worked. While Professor Vincent Ostrom debated the effectiveness of Wilson theory by labeling it as “single-centered administration”, authors like Dahl saw the system
Wood Wilson 's politics administration dichotomy states the idea that administrative decisions need to be made without the influence of politics. Since the beginning, there have been arguments on the connection between politics and administration. It is and continues to be a constant and ever growing debate of the powers of the developing countries.
Woodrow Wilson 's essay detailing the study of administration has been viewed as the beginning of public administration as a field of study. He sought to investigate organization and the methods governments use to successfully accomplish its tasks with the most efficiency at the least possible cost. In his essay he suggested the existence of main difference between politics and administration. It was this difference that became known as the politics-administration dichotomy. Politics being the expression of the will of the state and administration being the execution of that will.
Wilson’s theory has proven to be practical and very workable as the United States began changing from a rural agricultural society to an industrial nation. With these changes there were more requirements and a considerable response from the citizens for more public administrations functions and programs to be established. Public administration changed in the United States after WWI, as the population increased so did the need for public works, public health, and public safety. Public administration as an action was booming during this time and still is today.
At the Minnowbrook Conference of 1968 young academic students would argue for fresh ideas to be implemented when building a new public administration. They wanted one built on mutual trust and love of mankind and showed opposition to the traditional ways public administration worked. While Professor Vincent Ostrom debated the effectiveness of Wilson theory by labeling it as “single-centered administration”, authors like Dahl saw the system
References: Public Administration Concepts and Cases - By Richard J. Stillman II, Public Administration http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_administration The Myth of the Dichotomy: Complementarity of Politics and Administration in the Past and Future of Public Administration: (March/April 2001) James H. Svara (North Carolina State University)