Governance and Politics

Governance

• Governance and government are often used interchangeably, both referring to the exercise of authority.
• Government is the entity that exercises this authority.
• Authority is legitimate power and the right to influence behavior.
• Power is the ability to influence behavior, while authority is the right to do so.
• Authority relies on an acknowledged duty to obey, not coercion or manipulation.
• Effective governance requires transparent and fair decisions in the best interests of stakeholders, where politics has an important role.

Politics

• Politics includes the activities, actions, and debates involving governance, power, and decision-making within a society or organization.
• Politics encompasses elections, policymaking, advocacy, lobbying, and the operation of governmental institutions.
• Politics occurs at various levels, from local and national to international.

Concept of Politics

• Political scientists define politics in different ways to emphasize its nature and elements.
• Politics can be viewed as "the art of the possible" and requires skills to fulfill citizens' needs.
• The study of powers that shape and alter the state is important, and their application is crucial for citizen satisfaction.
• Politics involves the "governing of men," focusing on the relationship between rulers and the ruled.
• The complex nature of society makes the Athenian system of government impractical.
• Society allocates responsibility to rule to one group, while the other submits, requiring satisfaction among the governed.
• Politics is also seen as a "struggle for power," with power used to exert influence and control.
• Politics involves the distribution of resources, as defined by Harold Lasswell ("who gets what, when, how").
• Politicians determine resource distribution, but critics argue that the distribution of resources alone is not inherently political.
• Politics also involves the authoritative allocation of values, with politicians having the mandate to distribute resources.
• Leaders exercise powers based on their position, with state power specific to politicians.
• Politics can be viewed primarily through the lens of government, focusing on political power's structure, exercise, and regulation.

Administration

• Administration generally refers to the day-to-day management of activities to achieve a goal.
• Includes caring for people and managing affairs.
• Management of affairs involving planning, organizing, directing, staffing, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting which is also known as PODSCORB in organizations.

Politics-Administration Dichotomy

• The politics-administration dichotomy is a theory that distinguishes between the roles of elected officials and administrators.
• An organization is considered a system of roles graded by authority, aiming to meet needs or pursue collective goals.
• Organizations require policy makers (politicians) and implementers (administrators).
• Policy is the political determinant of government actions, while administration implements these policies.
• Administration is the channel to realize public policy.

Differences Between Politics and Administration

• Politics involves the use of state power and the science of governing.
• Politicians are key actors in politics, determining the ends of what should be done.
• Politicians occupy the realm of authority and are responsible for decision-making, regarding actions by elected representatives.
• Administration is the science and art of actualizing government objectives, with administrators determining how to do it.
• Administrators serve in an advisory capacity.
• Administration stresses technical factors and is about the activities of professionals as well as functioning in hierarchical organizations.
• Politics is an area of unpredictability and change where politicians seek the interests of their supporters.
• Political influence affects appointments of politicians through elections.
• Politicians are unrestricted by a code of conventions (in contrast to administrators).
• Administration is an area of stability and routine, thriving on impartiality.
• Administrators are appointed with qualifications, examined, protected, and restricted by a code of conduct.
• Typically, administrators do not go to parliament for their work like politicians.

The Orthodox View Dichotomy

• The orthodox view states that policy-making and administration should remain separate and independent activities.
• Politicians make decisions through public policy, while bureaucrats carry out those decisions.
• The model emphasizes a superior-subordinate relationship where politicians have more power than administrators.
• Bureaucrats are focused on executing the directives and policies established by authorities such as elected officials or agency heads.
• Politics involves determining goals, while administration ensures those goals are met without engaging in public policy-making.
• Administrators rely on technical competence and are protected against political pressures.
• Woodrow Wilson and Max Weber are key scholars of the orthodox view of politics and administration.
• Wilson stated that “The field of administration is a field of business. It is removed from the hurry and strife of politics. Administration lies outside the spheres of politics. Administrative questions are not political questions."
• Weber emphasized bureaucrats maintaining impartiality and neutrality in their decision-making to implement policies without bias.

Modified View Dichotomy

• The modified view of politics is also known as the New Public Administration (NPA) or the Post-Behavioral approach.
• Challenges the strict separation between politics and administration as advocated by the Orthodox school.
• It offers a nuanced understanding of bureaucracy's involvement in governance.
• It acknowledges the difficulty in drawing a line between policy making and administration.
• Suggests that administrative officers should not be completely removed from policy formulation.
• It states administrators can participate in the policy process, exercise discretion, and handle specific requests.
• Also, it states that public administrators can provide policy leadership to elected officials.
• Elected officials should allow professional administrators in implementation and management questions.
• Constructed to endorse the involvement of administrators in policy making.
• Prohibits council members from interfering in government management.
• Focuses on the interconnectedness between politics and administration, stating administrators have a big influence on policy but not always on elected officials.
• Aims to develop a more flexible, inclusive, and contextually sensitive understanding of bureaucracy in democracy by reconciling tensions and promoting engagement in the decision-making process.

Complementarity of Politics & Administration

• Emphasizes the interdependence and mutual support between politics and administration.
• Suggests they are interconnected and complementary aspects of governance, rather than separate spheres.
• Scholar Svara emphasizes this concept, stressing the interdependency, reciprocal influence, and interaction between elected officials and administrators.
• Stresses the need for political supremacy and distinct roles.
• A principle stresses that elected officials and public administrators join to pursue sound governance.
• States that those who study the relationship of elected and appointed officials should examine each impact.
• Suggests both have roles in the political system and the systems model views politics and administration as individual subsystems within the larger political system.
• "Politics sets the vision, and administration brings it to life" stating that it promotes effective governance.