U.S.

Public administration and

policy in political context
Dr. Lonce H. Bailey
Associate Professor of Political Science
Shippensburg University, USA
Historical Development

● Path Dependency
● American Political Development
● Focus on the development of institutions and ideas

“How we got here has a lot to do with what our options are.”
The founding of the United States

Some key themes

● Democracy (lots of politics)

● Individualism
● Distrust in government
Tocqueville
"No sooner do you set foot on American soil

than you find yourself in a sort of tumult.”

"A confused clamor rises on every side,

and a thousand voices are heard at once,

each expressing some social requirements."

Tocqueville
"If they want to proclaim a truth or propagate some feeling

...they form an association. In every case, at the head of any

new undertaking, where in France you would find the

government ... in the United States you are sure to find an

association."

"The people reign over the American political world as

God rules over the universe"

Individualism

Citizens are the boss

Authority flows from the individual

Rugged individualism

Belief in the weakness of class distinction

The minuteman
Individualism

“I, alone, can fix it.”

Equality -- class fluidity

Work hard and work your way up

Equality of conditions, outcome is

up to your individualism
Distrust of Government

"The nine most terrifying words in the

English language are: I'm from the Government,
and I'm here to help. "

“Government is not the solution to our problem;

government is the problem”
Progessive Era (1890’s to 1930s)

● Major period of reform in all areas of American life.

● Politically it called for more direct democracy
● Policy and administratively it called for
more expertise and professionalism
● End of patronage, beginning of the
civil service
Progressivism -- Woodrow Wilson

Politics -- Administration dichotomy

Politics Administration
Progressivism -- Woodrow Wilson

Politics -- Administration dichotomy

Politics Administration
Progressivism -- Woodrow Wilson

“Administrative questions are not political questions.

Although politics sets the tasks for administration, it
should not be suffered to manipulate its offices.”

“The field of administration is a field of business. It is removed from the hurry and strife of
politics; it at most points stands apart even from the debatable ground of constitutional
study. It is a part of political life only as the methods of the counting house are a part of the
life of society; only as machinery is part of the manufactured product.”
US Public Admin today

Anti-government

Populism -- “Drain the Swamp”

Disparities in wealth, demographic changes, massive gaps in education all lead

to a sense of being cheated
US Public Admin today

● Submerged Government
● Lack of local journalism
● Rise of digital age and bad and false information
● Blurring between government and private contracting
● Increased hyper-partisanship
 Administration hollowed out

● Neglect and undermining public

administration
● In rhetoric and in action
● The public administration
cannot fully execute the laws

“The federal government is having increasing difficulty

faithfully executing the laws, which is what Alexander
Hamilton called “the true test” of a good government.”
Administration and democracy

Essential link

Citizens Elected Officials Public Administrators Citizens

 Never Forget

Public Administration and Public Administrators are

ESSENTIAL
To the health of your democracy
and the stability and freedom of your communities.
Thank you for taking the time to join me.

Lonce H. Bailey
Associate Professor of Political Science
Shippensburg University, USA
lhbailey@ship.edu