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University of Balochistan

Assignment

GEOGRAPHY AND REGIONAL PLANNING

 NAME : ZAHOOR AHMED

 ROLL NO 01

 SUBJECT Public administration

 SUBMITTED TO sir shah saleem

 DATE 30 march 2021

 TOPIC Role of public administration in modern


Democratic state
The role of public administration in modern democratic state

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Administration Activities of group cooperating to accomplish goal.


Public administration public administration is an organized and systemic
execution of the law ( L.D white )
The role of public administration in modern democratic state
The public administration plays very important role in any country the role of
public administration is changing from being a major provider of public services
and development to promoter and facilitator of development
The role and importance of public administration in the modern society
may be analyzed under the following headings:
1) The basis of government
Public administration serves as the basis of government. A government can exist
without a legislature, or an independent judiciary. But no government can exist
without administration. As Paul H. Appleby observes, “without administration
government would be a discussion club, if indeed, it could exist at all”.
Public administration is essentially required by all countries—irrespective of its
political system—as a machinery to implement its public policies.
From what we have observed, public administration is an essential administrative
machinery that cuts across different political ideologies including capitalist and
socialist countries.

2) Provides a variety of services in the public interest


Public administration is the mechanism with which government provides
numerous services in the public interest. Government protects the life and
property of the people by maintaining law and order within the country. If Public
administration fails to perform this function effectively, the law of jungle will
prevail in society. National defence is another function performed by Public
administration. On the effective performance of this function depends the
survival of mankind and national independence as well as the progress of social
life.
In addition to the protective functions, public administration in the modern

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welfare state provides facilitative services which include transportation,


communications, supply of power, etc. The public administrators manage public
enterprises and public utilities in the interests of socio-economic justice. The
welfare services provided to the people include education, health and sanitation,
social security, unemployment relief, housing, welfare of the weaker sections, and
so on.
How well we enjoy these services depend, in large part, on the how well they are
administered. Hence, in simpler societies of early days good administration was
important, but in modern complex societies good administration is essential.
3) Role in democracy
In democracy the role of public administration is of vital important. The ideals of
democracy progress, prosperity and protection of common man can be obtained
only through impartial, honest and efficient administration an administration is
neutral and serves faithfully the political party in power
4) Improving services delivery
Improving service delivery in term of timeliness, quality, availability ,
effectiveness, efficiency and convenience. This can achieved by considering
citizen’ satisfaction.
5) Implementation of laws and policies
Public administration is the mechanism through which laws and policies of
government are implemented. By carrying out law it regulates the behaviour of
the people and delivers the promised benefits to the intended beneficiaries.
Even the good objectives of the policies and laws of a government may remain as
mere paper declarations of intent, if the administrative machinery does not
function efficiently and honestly. Thus, administration is the essential instrument
for translating laws into reality.

6) Provides stability to society


In the opinion of Paul Pigors, public administration is a great stabilizing force in
society. He says, “the administrative … ensures the continuance of the existing
order with a minimum of effort and risk. Its fundamental aim is to carry on rather

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than to venture along new and untried paths. Administrators are, therefore, the
stabilizers of society and the guardians of tradition”.
Administrators maintain social cohesion and harmony by solving social problems,
and by settling social tensions and conflicts. In any State they carry on the
government when rulers change every now and then. Thus, Public administration
provides continuity when governments change in a country.
7) Brings about Socio-economic changes/development
Public administration is a dominant instrument of social change and economic
development, especially in the developing nations of Asia, Africa and Latin
America.
The developing nations are mostly traditional, poor, agricultural societies. They
are anxious to achieve modernization of society and economic development
and realize welfare goals. These objectives have placed challenging tasks on
public administration.
The achievement of such goals requires honest and competent public
administrators. An efficient and incorrupt administrative machinery alone
could effect the desired transition from simple agricultural societies to modern
industrial societies in these nations. In the developed nations of the west, the
administrators have to use the advanced technological techniques to deal with
highly complex social problems, as listed below:
 Preservation of the polity.
 Maintenance of stability and order.
 Institutionalization of socioeconomic change.
 Management of large-scale commercial services.
 Ensuring growth and economic development.
 Protection of the weaker sections of society.
 Formation of public opinion.
 Influencing public policies and political trends.
There seems to be an inevitable growing trend in the activities of public
administration in the foreseeable future. The administration of welfare state has
to plan for integral development of the personality of its citizens. Efficient
administration is required to advance this progress and development, as well as
to withstand the problems. Being the watch dog of civilized life, public
administration has become a tool of change and reforms

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8) Role as a subject of study


Public administration is a subject of growing important. Its study cannot be
ignored by the students of public administration. It is said that the students of
today are the administrators of tomorrow.
The study of public administration prepares them into better administrators.
Reasons for the growing importance of Public administration in democratic
state
There are many factors that has contributed to the increasing importance of
public administration in modern society. They are briefly examined under the
following headings

1) The scientific and technological developments


The scientific and technological developments have led to revolutionary changes
in transportation and communications system. The inventions of telephone,
telegraph, railways, and airways have made ‘big government and large-scale
administration’ possible.
The influx of mechanical devices in the office administration such as typewriter,
teleprinter, calculators, photo-copying machines, personal computers, fax and the
electronic mail has brought about even more revolutionary changes in the ways
and methods of administration. They have facilitated speed and made easier the
management of big and complex modern organizations.
2) Industrial revolution
Industrial Revolution, consequence of the scientific and technological
developments, led to the growth of large-scale industries and factory production,
and overcrowded industrial towns. The factory system also resulted in such evils
as capitalism, unemployment, exploitation of labour, health hazards, etc.
In the interest of socio-economic justice, governments in the developed countries
were compelled to assume new responsibilities to set right the above evils. As a
result, the tasks and importance of Public administration have increased.
3) Economic planning

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Economic planning is another factor that has contributed to the increasing


importance of Public administration. Modern states have resorted to planning as
a method of achieving economic development.
Plan formulation and implementation require skillful and expert administrators
and an elaborate administrative machinery. The new responsibilities have
naturally widened the sphere of Public administration and increased its
significance.
4) Wars
In times of war, Public administration is entrusted with the responsibility of
mobilizing necessary man-power and resources for the purpose of war.
Certain activities acquired by Public administration during war-time may continue
even after the termination of war. To give an example, the numerous controls and
quotas on the distribution and consumption of certain essential goods introduced
during the second world war time are still with the public authorities in India.
5) Natural disasters
Natural calamities like cyclones and floods have also enhanced the importance of
Public administration. In times of natural calamities, the public administrators
take responsibility to come to the rescue of people affected. At such times the
administrators have to act quickly in order to prevent loss of life and property.
Besides, in the Third World countries the public authorities have to manage crises
resulting from social upheavals like caste conflicts, communal, tribal and ethnic
violence. This role also has enhanced the importance of public bureaucracy
6) The rapid growth of population
The rapid increase in size of population of most nations; more specifically in the
developing nations, has contributed to the growing importance of Public
administration.
Population growth has complicated the problem of providing food, shelter,
education, sanitation, and health facilities to the people. The growth of
metropolitan cities has resulted in congestion, growth of slums, housing scarcity,
insufficient water supply, inadequate transportation, increasing crime rate etc.
Thus, Public administration is the machinery through which government is
tackling these acute social and economic problems.

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7) The emergence of welfare state


The emergence of welfare state in modern times has also increased the activities
and responsibilities of Public administration. The welfare state is a social service
state. It is a positive state. Its motto is promotion of good life for the people. In
the interest of socio-economic justice, the positive welfare state acts as a
protector, a dispenser of social services, a manager of key industries and banking
services, and a controller and regulator of private economic enterprises.

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