Comparative Public Institutions [POL2042S] (POL2042S)
Class notes
Lecture Notes the Relationship between Bureaucrats and Politicians
7 views 0 purchase
Course
Comparative Public Institutions [POL2042S] (POL2042S)
Institution
University Of Cape Town (UCT)
Summarised, yet detailed lecture notes on what causes friction in the relationship between bureaucrats and politicians; and how this relationship can be mended.
Comparative Public Institutions [POL2042S] (POL2042S)
All documents for this subject (11)
Seller
Follow
sdkaya001
Reviews received
Content preview
[ALL WEEK 11 LECTURES]
Bureaucrats and Politicians in Comparative Perspectives
Readings for the week:
Naidoo, V. 2013. Cadre deployment versus merit? Reviewing politicisation in the public service. In Daniel, J. et al
(eds.) New South African Review 3: The second phase – tragedy or farce? Johannesburg: Wits University Press. VULA
ü Kopecký, P. 2011. Political competition and party patronage: public appointments in Ghana and South Africa. Political
Studies, 59: 713-732. VULA
ü Peters, B.G., Pierre, J. (eds.). 2004. Politicization of the Civil Service in Comparative Perspective: the quest for control.
London: Routledge. Chapter 1. VULA
Quick Recap on Points from the Previous Weeks:
® While the work of a bureaucracy and political affairs are inherently interconnected, work
together and affect one another – there has to be a level of insulation between the
bureaucracy and political forces to ensure that there is no political interference for political
gain (corruption).
® Sometimes, when bureaucrats adopt a more ‘partisan’ outlook (there allow more political
intervention), it does not always result in corruption, but can rather sometimes result in
enormous economic growth and achievement of developmental goals.
THIS LEADS US TO THE QUESTION:
What is the appropriate relationship between politicians and bureaucrats ?
® Political Capture: when the political control over a bureaucracy actually undermines the work,
efficiency and fairness of the administrative system.
- For example, politicians putting relatives of friends in high positions within a bureaucracy.
This placement is based on personal relationships rather than capability and ability –
therefore undermining the efficiency and effectiveness of the bureaucracy.
[Intellectual Property of Ayanda Sadek]
, [ALL WEEK 11 LECTURES]
- This usually occurs when politicians do not trust the bureaucrats, or they want to maximize
their personal gain.
The relationship between bureaucrats before the rational model:
• The relationship between bureaucrats and politicians were blurred
• Bureaucrats did not perform disguisable tasks
• Bureaucrats were merely personal servants to political leaders
• There was no clear distinction between political and administrative roles and functions
• There was little insulation from political interference
- Because of all of this, there was a lot of political interference, a lack of professionalism, no
constructive operational boundaries between the roles and responsibilities of bureaucrats
and politicians, as well as political manipulation, lack of job security, instability and
corruption.
The relationship between bureaucrats during the rational model:
® While the rational model favor high levels of political insulation and none involvement in the
bureaucracy, it is impossible to fully disconnect the work of a bureaucracy from politics
because the two are inherently interconnected. However:
- there were boundaries in place to clearly distinguish between political roles and
responsibilities & bureaucratic roles and responsibilities (e.g. job descriptions, hierarchy,
merit, rules and procedures of conduct that were instilled in law)
® Politicization: the acknowledgement that in most bureaucracies across the globe, there is still
a level of direct political involvement in the recruitment of bureaucrats, which is considered
‘appropriate’ (maintains the balance between professional integrity of the bureaucrat such
as merit, but at the same time ensures that public servants will be responsive to the policy
objectives of elected politicians)
[Intellectual Property of Ayanda Sadek]
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller sdkaya001. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $2.76. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
