1. The “Swivel Service”? (Cont’d) January 26th 2006
PUBLIC SERVICE VALUES
The “Swivel Service”? (Cont’d)
January 26th 2006

2. The Career Public Service
benefits
speaking truth to power/long-term view of the public good
official anonymity & security of tenure
expertise/capability
performance based on merit
drawbacks
may not be politically responsive
may become ossified
rigid adherence to accepted policies

3. The Paradox of Public Service Values
demand high ethical standards of public servants
requires people devoted to public service
strong substantive values
may bring them into conflict with elected officials
demand people who are highly capable
capable of challenging elected leadership
raises issues of democratic control

4. The Paradox of Public Service Values
a highly competent/ethical public service (required for democracy)
may generate considerable conflict between public service and elected officials
may raise issues of democratic control
how serious this problem is perceived to be depends on...
the model of democracy in question!!

5. Bureaucratic-Political Conflict
what if there is no evidence of conflict between bureaucratic and elected officials?
are bureaucrats doing their job?
i.e. “speaking truth to power”
“...reminding political officials of things they should do but for which there is no immediate political gain”
have elected officials been captured by the bureaucracy?

6. The Not-So-Civil Service:
Power Resources and the Relationship Between Ministers and their Senior Civil Servants
January 26, 2006

7. Resources – Senior Bureaucratic Officials
expertise
policy
process
person-power
relationship with other departments
relationship with clientele

8. Resources -- Ministers
political legitimacy
expertise
political
vis-a-vis public
vis-a-vis cabinet
ability to manage relationship
outside expertise
competing lines of advice
relationship with cabinet, PM
relationship with public/media

9. The Tenure of Ministers
“ministerial musical chairs”
move often and frequency has increased
effects on ministerial power
the traditional view
ministerial musical chairs weakens the power of minister
the counter-traditional view
ministerial capture

10. Ministerial Resources and Public Opinion Polling
revolution in computer technology
costs of public opinion polling have dropped
exponential rise in the growth of public opinion polling by government departments
the role of the minister as the political antenna of the department may be becoming obsolete
senior bureaucrats probably have a better read of public opinion on a given policy issue

11. The Tenure of Senior Public Servants
the revolving deputy ministerial door
move often and frequency has increased
effects on deputy ministerial power
the traditional view
equalizes the relationship between DMs and ministers – both are short-term departmental residents
why?
an alternative view
strengthens the Centre (e.g PCO)

12. The Tenure of Ministers and their Senior Public Servants
changing patterns in the tenure of ministers and deputy ministers...
effects are ambiguous/contradictory
complex interaction between both patterns
power of ministers/DM in new environment is an open empirical question
HOWEVER...
relationships are changing
both changes are important in terms of relationships between departments and The Centre