The History of Public Administration

TL;DR

The content discusses the transformation of local governments in the United States and the shift towards new public governance, emphasizing value-centered approaches, collaborative decision-making, and the co-production of public goods.

Transcript

in many ways local governments constitute the heart of American democracy in this course we'll unpack why this might be the role of local governments has changed dramatically during the rise of the administrative state both in scale and function as the role of central government has grown and expanded so is the role of local government census repor... Read More

Key Insights

• 🇺🇸 Local governments in the United States have become more autonomous and face challenges in managing interjurisdictional issues.
• 🦻 Factors such as economic development, racial issues, federal aid, and tax burdens have contributed to the growth of cities and special districts.
• 👶 The new public management agenda aimed to make government more efficient but had weaknesses in terms of values and fragmented structures.
• 🇨🇫 The new public governance approach emphasizes collaborative decision-making, value-centered approaches, and the co-production of public goods.
• 🖐️ Values like fairness, equity, and transparency play important roles in determining the legitimacy of political institutions.
• 🚥 There is a need to shift from a vertical structure of authority to horizontal structures through cooperative agreements.
• 👶 New public governance seeks to enhance the capabilities of local governments and build civic infrastructure.

Questions & Answers

Q: How has the role of local governments in the United States changed over time?

The role of local governments has become more autonomous and complex, with increased numbers and the granting of Home Rule charters. They face challenges in managing interjurisdictional issues and providing integrated services.

Q: What factors contributed to the growth of cities and special districts?

Factors such as economic development, racial issues, federal aid, and tax burdens influenced the expansion of cities and special districts in the United States.

Q: What is new public management (NPM), and what are its weaknesses?

NPM is an agenda that aims to make government more efficient and responsive through business-like management techniques. Its weaknesses include the lack of a common denominator for comparisons and the disregard for values like fairness and transparency.

Q: What is new public governance (NPG), and how does it differ from NPM?

NPG emphasizes collaborative decision-making, value-centered approaches, and the co-production of public goods. It focuses on creating implementable agreements among stakeholders and enhancing the capabilities of local governments.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The role of local governments in the United States has evolved dramatically, with increasing autonomy and complexity due to the growth of the administrative state.

• The expansion of cities and special districts was influenced by factors such as economic development, racial issues, federal aid, and tax burdens.

• The new public management (NPM) agenda emerged, aiming to make government more efficient and responsive through business-like management techniques, but it had weaknesses in terms of values and fragmented structures.