Pictured above is H. George Frederickson. He served as President Emeritus of Eastern Washington University until 1987. He served as President of the American Society for Public Administration, and was the founding editor of the Journal of Public Affairs Education. He was also the founder and Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory.
Below, I am providing an excerpt from one of Frederickson's papers, which is available online. This online paper is called, "Up The Bureaucracy," and it appears from the title (and the text) that Frederickson's approach to scholarship did not compel him to be stuffy. Many thanks to Stephen Harding for bringing Frederickson to my attention.
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Elected officials at all levels of American government have evidently decided that they are more interested in practicing administration than in making law and policy. This preference is particularly noticeable among elected executives--mayors, governors, and presidents. In recent years virtually all candidates for executive offices have campaigned on a “reinventing government” platform, essentially a promise to manage the city, the state, or the nation better. These political campaigns argue that governments are not well managed and that an elected executive with management ideas can do a better job than the professionals and experts in the bureaucracy.For several reasons this has proved to be particularly good politics. First, promising to manage better is uncontroversial; no one favors bad management. Second, taking positions on policy issues is dangerous and can result in a short incumbency. Third, establishing policy and passing laws requires political skills beyond the capability of getting elected, the skills of coalition building and effective legislative relations, skills sadly lacking among modern incumbantis erectus. This kind of political leadership is more difficult than, say, implementing a hiring freeze or contracting-out a service. Finally, this form of politics is compatible with the modern mood of limited government and tax reduction. Policy ideas can be expensive, and new laws often require direct enforcement costs or impose mandates on other governments.
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I believe that Frederickison is definitely "on target" in making the observation just presented. "Politics" does require "coalition building," and effective work, within a legislative body, to achieve a desired policy goal. "Administration" is all good and well, but the key question for our politics can essentially be phrased this way: "What should we do, and how can we achieve the political power that will allow us do it?" How we administer the government is not unimportant, but if all we care about is bureaucratic administration, we're missing the point.
I agree with Frederickson that the kind of political skills needed to be an effective political leader are sadly lacking, today. Those skills are definitely what we need, and if you will concede that "practice makes perfect," ask yourself how much you (and your friends) have been practicing the skills necessary to create a meaningful and powerful politics.
If you conclude that you aren't really paying much attention to "politics," and to the "political" side of government, as you consider your duty as a citizen - a citizen charged with the responsibility of making "self-government" work - then it's time for a course correction, and a time reallocation.
We are going to get back to a healthy "politics" when lots of people start acting like "taking over" their local, state, and national governments is a lot more fun and engaging than binging on the latest Netflix series.
And let me tell you something. It is!
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