Politics and the Bureaucracy: Policymaking in the Fourth Branch of Government - Softcover

Meier, Kenneth J

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0155055232 ISBN 13: 9780155055230

Publisher: Cengage Learning, 1980

Synopsis

This best-selling textbook is unique because of its focus on the political side of bureaucracy. Designed to present bureaucracy as a political institution, this book provides coverage of the controls on bureaucracy and how bureaucracy makes policy.

About this title

Review:

1. BUREAUCRACY AND POLITICS. Bureaucracy: A Favorite Target. Criticism and Rhetoric. Efficiency: An Untested Hypothesis. Is Efficiency a Goal? Administrative Power as Political Power. Case 1: Federal Housing. Case 2: The Cuban Missile Crisis. Case 3: The National Health Service Corps. Case 4: The Federal Trade Commission. Administrative Power: A Difficult Term. Summary. 2. THE STRUCTURE OF AMERICAN BUREAUCRACY. The Organization of the Federal Government. Departments. Independent Agencies. The Government Corporation. The Advisory Committee. Minor Boards, Committees, and Commissions. The Political Bureaus of the President and Congress. The Size of the Bureaucracy. Budgetary Growth. The Federal Personnel System. The Career Civil Service. The Senior Executive Service. The Separate Merit Systems. The Excepted Service. The Executive Schedule. Dismissals. State and Local Bureaucracies. Implementation Networks. Summary. 3. BUREAUCRATIC POWER AND ITS CAUSES. A Framework for the Study of Bureaus. Why Bureaucracy Is a Policymaking Institution. The Nature of American Politics. The Organization of Government. Task Demands. The Nature of Bureaucracy's Function. Sources of Bureau Power. External Sources of Bureaucratic Power: Political Support. Internal Sources of Bureau Power. Summary. 4. BUREAUCRACY AND PUBLIC POLICY. Regulatory Policy. The Scope of Regulatory Policy. Regulatory Bureau Policymaking. The Structure of Regulatory Agencies. The Environment of Regulatory Agencies. Redistributive Policy. The Scope of Redistributive Policy. The Structure of Redistributive Bureaus. Redistributive Bureau Policymaking. The Environment of Redistributive Agencies. Distributive Policy. The Scope of Distributive Policy. The Structure of Distributive Bureaus. Distributive Bureau Policymaking. The Environment of Distributive Agencies. Constituent Policy. The Scope of Constituent Policy. The Structure of Constituent Policy. Constituent Bureau Policymaking. The Environment of Constituent Policy Bureaus. Summary. 5. BUREAUCRACY AND THE PUBLIC'S EXPECTATIONS. Two Standards for Bureaucracy. Responsiveness I: Political Institutions, the Public, Law. Responsiveness II: Flexibility. Responsiveness III: Ethics. Responsiveness IV: Fair and Impartial. Competence I: Effectiveness. Competence II: Timeliness. Competence III: Efficiency. Competence IV: Reliability. Whose Fault Is It?. The Problem of Political Executives. Summary. 6. CONTROLLING THE BUREAUCRACY. Overhead Democracy. Legislative Controls on Bureaucratic Power. Legislation. Budgeting. Legislative Veto and Consultations. Oversight. Informal Contacts. Congressional Controls: Summary. Judicial Controls on Bureaucratic Power. Court Impact. Limits on Courts. Presidential Controls on Bureaucratic Power. Organizational Powers. Budget Powers. The Powers of Commander-in-Chief. Leadership. Restraints on Presidential Controls. Federalism as a Check on Bureaucracy. State Agencies as a Check on Federal Agencies. Federal Checks on State Bureaucracies. Federalism as a Check. The Ombudsman. Direct Democratic Control: Noncompliance. Summary. 7. CONTROLLING BUREAUCRACY. The Administrative Platonist. The Fellowship of Science. The New Public Administration. Representative Bureaucracy . Participative Administration. Individual-Group Linkage. Group-Administrative Elite Linkage. Public Choice. Summary. 8. REFORMING THE BUREAUCRACY. How Much Control Is Needed?. The Performance of American Bureaucracy. Redundancy: The Impact of Duplication. Strengthening Political Institutions. The President. Congress. The Courts. Interest Groups. Creating a Better Merit System. Reform Entrance Procedures and Educational Training. Raise the Prestige of the Civil Service. Increased Executive Mobility. Awakening the American People. Increase Public Awareness of Politics and Participation. Increase Public Awareness of Bureau Policy making. Eliminate the Stereotypes of Bureaucracy. End Passive Acceptance of Delay. Lower People's Expectations of Government. A Hobson's Choice. Bibliography. Index.

Synopsis:

This textbook focuses on the political side of American governmental bureaucracy. It is designed to present bureaucracy as a political institution, and provides coverage of the controls on bureaucracy and how bureaucracy makes policy.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cengage Learning
• Publication date: 1980
• ISBN 10: 0155055232
• ISBN 13: 9780155055230
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 4
• Number of pages: 296