Public Administration: Nature, Perspectives, and Role

I. Nature of Public Administration

A. As a Subject:

Debate: Is Public Administration a science, an art, or neither?
- Science proponents (e.g., Woodrow Wilson, Lowell):
  - Arguments:
    - Universal principles (hierarchy, division of labor).
    - Research & development (e.g., New Public Management, New Public Administration).
    - Use of scientific methods & techniques (CPM, PERT).
    - Value-free (like science).
    - Predictive capabilities (policy formulation).
    - Administrator as counselor/advisor to politicians.
    - Universal texts (Kautilya's Arthashastra, Aristotle's Politics, Plato's Republic).
    - Interdisciplinary nature (combines polity, management, law, ethics, sociology, psychology).
- Non-science proponents (e.g., Robert Dahl, Paul Appleby, Cohen, Morris):
  - Arguments:
    - Value-oriented (administrators are human, guided by ethics and code of conduct).
    - Lack of accuracy in prediction.
    - Variable administrator behavior.
    - Absence of a laboratory setting.
    - Ecological – variable with environment and circumstances.
- Art proponents (e.g., M.P. Sharma, Tead):
  - Arguments:
    - Civil servants' creativity (like artists).
    - Need for a medium (organization for civil servants, materials for artists).
    - Variable with time and space (like art).
    - Training required for both artists and civil servants.
    - Importance of personality for both.
- Neither Science nor Art: Some consider it a social science subject, gradually evolving.

B. As a System:

Managerial Nature: Focuses only on higher authority and post-curb activities (planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, budgeting). Narrow view.
Integral Nature: Includes all organizational members, from top to bottom. Broader view.

A. Developed Countries:

Features: Transparency, accountability, responsibility; significant role of specialists in policy-making; professionalism in bureaucracy; decentralized administration; high public participation; qualitative public service delivery; constitutional commitment; flexible rules and regulations; good coordination between politicians and civil servants; efficient service delivery; emphasis on resource management, innovation, and adaptation. TAR (Transparency, Accountability, Responsibility) is a key concept to remember.

B. Developing Countries:

Features: Colonial legacy; dominant role of generalists in policy-making; administrative corruption; excessive emphasis on rules and regulations; conflict between ministers and civil servants; lack of public participation; red tape; quantitative rather than qualitative role of administration. Origin of Development Administration: 1955.

C. Basic Differences:

Feature	Developed Countries	Developing Countries
Policy Makers	Specialists	Generalists
Bureaucracy	Auto-developed, evolved organically	Colonial legacy
Bureaucracy Role	Qualitative	Quantitative
Coordination	Good between civil servants & ministers	Conflict
Rules & Regs	Flexible	Overemphasis
Key Development	New Public Administration (NPA) 1968	Development Administration (DA) 1955
Corruption	Negligible	Significant
Public Participation	High	Low

Statements:
- Wilson: Fourth organ of government.
- Paul Appleby: Without it, government is just a discussion club.
- Jawaharlal Nehru: Medium of socio-economic justice.
- Figures: Stabilizer of society.
- W.E.W. Donham: Civilization's failure is largely due to administrative breakdown.
General Importance:
- Medium for public welfare.
- Medium for socio-economic justice.
- Protector of culture and civilization.
- Essential for democracy (elections).
- Grievance redressal.
- Regulatory administration (law and order, revenue collection, peace and integrity).
- Medium of livelihood.
- Protection from private administration.
- Protection of human rights.
- Importance as a subject (65 marks in the exam).