Politics and the Bureaucracy

by Meier, Kenneth J.; Bohte, John

• ISBN13: 9780495007470
• ISBN10: 0495007471
• Edition: 5th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2006-02-28
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

Enhance your understanding of the federal bureaucracy with POLITICS AND THE BUREAUCRACY! With a focus on bureaucracy as a political institution, this political science text equips you with the tools you need to succeed in this course. Coverage includes topics such as administrative ethics, political control of the bureaucracy, public choice models of bureaucratic politics, and state and local bureaucracies. Examples and case studies clarify difficult concepts and reflect current political debates and their impact on federal agencies.

Table of Contents

LIST OF TABLES	XV
LIST OF FIGURES	XVII
PREFACE	XIX
ABOUT THE AUTHORS	XXI
1 Bureaucracy and Politics	1	(15)
Bureaucracy: A Favorite Target	3	(2)
Criticism and Rhetoric	5	(3)
Efficiency: An Untested Hypothesis	5	(1)
Is Efficiency a Goal?	6	(2)
Administrative Power as Political Power	8	(6)
Case 1: Federal Housing	9	(2)
Case 2: The Cuban Missile Crisis	11	(1)
Case 3: The National Health Service Corps	12	(1)
Case 4: The Federal Trade Commission	12	(2)
Administrative Power: A Difficult Term	14	(1)
Summary	15	(1)
2 The Structure of American Bureaucracy	16	(26)
The Organization of the Federal Government	16	(12)
Departments	17	(6)
Independent Agencies	23	(1)
The Government Corporation	24	(2)
The Advisory Committee	26	(1)
Minor Boards, Committees, and Commissions	26	(1)
The Political Bureaus of the President and Congress	27	(1)
The Size of the Bureaucracy	28	(2)
Budgetary Growth	30	(1)
The Federal Personnel System	31	(6)
The Career Civil Service	32	(2)
The Senior Executive Service	34	(1)
The Separate Merit Systems	34	(1)
The Excepted Service	35	(1)
The Executive Schedule	36	(1)
Dismissals	37	(1)
State and Local Bureaucracies	38	(2)
Implementation Networks	40	(1)
Summary	41	(1)
3 Bureaucratic Power and Its Causes	42	(33)
A Framework for the Study of Bureaus	42	(3)
Why Bureaucracy Is a Policymaking Institution	45	(8)
The Nature of American Politics	45	(2)
The Organization of Government	47	(3)
Task Demands	50	(1)
The Nature of Bureaucracy's Function	51	(2)
Sources of Bureau Power	53	(19)
External Sources of Bureaucratic Power: Political Support	53	(11)
Internal Sources of Bureau Power	64	(8)
Summary	72	(3)
4 Bureaucracy and Public Policy	75	(39)
Regulatory Policy	76	(16)
The Scope of Regulatory Policy	77	(2)
Regulatory Bureau Policymaking	79	(8)
The Structure of Regulatory Agencies	87	(3)
The Environment of Regulatory Agencies	90	(2)
Redistributive Policy	92	(7)
The Scope of Redistributive Policy	92	(2)
The Structure of Redistributive Bureaus	94	(1)
Redistributive Bureau Policymaking	95	(2)
The Environment of Redistributive Agencies	97	(2)
Distributive Policy	99	(7)
The Scope of Distributive Policy	99	(2)
The Structure of Distributive Bureaus	101	(1)
Distributive Bureau Policymaking	102	(2)
The Environment of Distributive Agencies	104	(2)
Constituent Policy	106	(6)
The Scope of Constituent Policy	106	(1)
The Structure of Constituent Policy	107	(1)
Constituent Bureau Policymaking	107	(3)
The Environment of Constituent Policy Bureaus	110	(2)
Summary	112	(2)
5 Bureaucracy and the Public's Expectations	114	(21)
Two Standards for Bureaucracy	114	(2)
Responsiveness I: Political Institutions, the Public, Law	116	(3)
Responsiveness II: Flexibility	119	(2)
Responsiveness III: Ethics	121	(3)
Responsiveness IV: Fair and Impartial	124	(1)
Competence I: Effectiveness	125	(2)
Competence II: Timeliness	127	(1)
Competence III: Efficiency	128	(2)
Competence IV: Reliability	130	(1)
Whose Fault Is It? The Problem of Political Executives	131	(1)
Summary	132	(3)
6 Controlling the Bureaucracy	135	(44)
Overhead Democracy	135	(1)
Legislative Controls on Bureaucratic Power	136	(15)
Legislation	137	(3)
Budgeting	140	(4)
Legislative Veto and Consultations	144	(2)
Oversight	146	(3)
Informal Contacts	149	(1)
Congressional Controls: Summary	150	(1)
Judicial Controls on Bureaucratic Power	151	(5)
Court Impact	152	(1)
Limits on Courts	153	(3)
Presidential Controls on Bureaucratic Power	156	(13)
Organizational Powers	157	(6)
Budget Powers	163	(2)
The Powers of Commander in Chief	165	(1)
Leadership	166	(1)
Restraints on Presidential Controls	167	(2)
Federalism as a Check on Bureaucracy	169	(5)
State Agencies as a Check on Federal Agencies	169	(3)
Federal Checks on State Bureaucracies	172	(1)
Federalism as a Check	173	(1)
The Ombudsman	174	(1)
Direct Democratic Control: Noncompliance	175	(2)
Summary	177	(2)
7 Controlling Bureaucracy	179	(30)
The Administrative Platonist	179	(6)
The Fellowship of Science	185	(3)
The New Public Administration	188	(3)
Representative Bureaucracy	191	(5)
Participative Administration	196	(9)
Individual—Group Linkage	198	(2)
Group—Administrative Elite Linkage	200	(5)
Public Choice	205	(3)
Summary	208	(1)
8 Reforming the Bureaucracy	209	(20)
How Much Control Is Needed?	210	(2)
The Performance of American Bureaucracy	212	(1)
Redundancy: The Impact of Duplication	213	(1)
Strengthening Political Institutions	214	(6)
The President	215	(2)
Congress	217	(2)
The Courts	219	(1)
Interest Groups	219	(1)
Creating a Better Merit System	220	(5)
Reform Entrance Procedures and Educational Training	222	(1)
Raise the Prestige of the Civil Service	223	(1)
Increased Executive Mobility	224	(1)
Awakening the American People	225	(3)
Increase Public Awareness of Politics and Participation	226	(1)
Increase Public Awareness of Bureau Policymaking	226	(1)
Eliminate the Stereotypes of Bureaucracy	226	(1)
End Passive Acceptance of Delay	226	(1)
Lower People's Expectations of Government	227	(1)
A Hobson's Choice	228	(1)
BIBLIOGRAPHY	229	(42)
INDEX	271