Eugene Huskey
- Published in print:
- 2005
- Published Online:
- February 2006
- ISBN:
- 9780199276141
- eISBN:
- 9780191603341
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199276145.003.0009
- Subject:
- Political Science, Russian Politics
This chapter discusses the emergence of a new form of patronage politics under the Putin presidency. Patronage politics is not limited to the political appointees who serve at the pleasure of elected ...
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This chapter discusses the emergence of a new form of patronage politics under the Putin presidency. Patronage politics is not limited to the political appointees who serve at the pleasure of elected leaders, often as senior staff members or management cadres in the core executive. Elected officials, permanent civil servants, and leaders of business and non-government organizations are also subject to a spoils system that allows federal and regional leaders to influence personnel decisions in ways that endanger political pluralism.Less
This chapter discusses the emergence of a new form of patronage politics under the Putin presidency. Patronage politics is not limited to the political appointees who serve at the pleasure of elected leaders, often as senior staff members or management cadres in the core executive. Elected officials, permanent civil servants, and leaders of business and non-government organizations are also subject to a spoils system that allows federal and regional leaders to influence personnel decisions in ways that endanger political pluralism.
John R. McAndrews, Bert A. Rockman, and Colin Campbell
- Published in print:
- 2019
- Published Online:
- August 2019
- ISBN:
- 9780190870829
- eISBN:
- 9780190909529
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190870829.003.0005
- Subject:
- Political Science, American Politics, Comparative Politics
This chapter examines the influence that senior career officials in the bureaucracy have on the policy decisions that politicians make. It argues that institutional differences tend to facilitate ...
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This chapter examines the influence that senior career officials in the bureaucracy have on the policy decisions that politicians make. It argues that institutional differences tend to facilitate more bureaucratic influence in Canada than in the United States (U.S.). Furthermore, it contends that the greater the influence of these career bureaucrats on the policy formulation process, the more carefully policy alternatives are considered—and, ultimately, the better the selected policy tends to perform overall. The chapter illustrates these arguments with a pair of historical vignettes concerning Canadian and American defense and environmental policymaking, as well as examples drawn from the Obama and Trump administrations and the Harper and Trudeau governments. It concludes with a discussion of the growing cross-national trend toward the politicization of the career bureaucracy.Less
This chapter examines the influence that senior career officials in the bureaucracy have on the policy decisions that politicians make. It argues that institutional differences tend to facilitate more bureaucratic influence in Canada than in the United States (U.S.). Furthermore, it contends that the greater the influence of these career bureaucrats on the policy formulation process, the more carefully policy alternatives are considered—and, ultimately, the better the selected policy tends to perform overall. The chapter illustrates these arguments with a pair of historical vignettes concerning Canadian and American defense and environmental policymaking, as well as examples drawn from the Obama and Trump administrations and the Harper and Trudeau governments. It concludes with a discussion of the growing cross-national trend toward the politicization of the career bureaucracy.
Rena Steinzor and Sidney Shapiro
- Published in print:
- 2010
- Published Online:
- March 2013
- ISBN:
- 9780226772028
- eISBN:
- 9780226772042
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- University of Chicago Press
- DOI:
- 10.7208/chicago/9780226772042.001.0001
- Subject:
- Law, Environmental and Energy Law
Reasonable people disagree about the reach of the federal government, but there is near-universal consensus that it should protect us from such dangers as bacteria-infested food, harmful drugs, toxic ...
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Reasonable people disagree about the reach of the federal government, but there is near-universal consensus that it should protect us from such dangers as bacteria-infested food, harmful drugs, toxic pollution, crumbling bridges, and unsafe toys. And yet, the agencies that shoulder these responsibilities are in shambles; if they continue to decline, lives will be lost and natural resources will be squandered. This book takes a hard look at the tangled web of problems that have led to this dire state of affairs. It turns out that the agencies are not primarily to blame and that regulatory failure actually stems from a host of overlooked causes. The book discovers that unrelenting funding cuts, a breakdown of the legislative process, an increase in the number of political appointees, a concurrent loss of experienced personnel, chaotic White House oversight, and ceaseless political attacks on the bureaucracy all have contributed to the broken system. But while the news is troubling, the book also proposes a host of reforms, including a new model for measuring the success of the agencies and a revitalization of the civil service.Less
Reasonable people disagree about the reach of the federal government, but there is near-universal consensus that it should protect us from such dangers as bacteria-infested food, harmful drugs, toxic pollution, crumbling bridges, and unsafe toys. And yet, the agencies that shoulder these responsibilities are in shambles; if they continue to decline, lives will be lost and natural resources will be squandered. This book takes a hard look at the tangled web of problems that have led to this dire state of affairs. It turns out that the agencies are not primarily to blame and that regulatory failure actually stems from a host of overlooked causes. The book discovers that unrelenting funding cuts, a breakdown of the legislative process, an increase in the number of political appointees, a concurrent loss of experienced personnel, chaotic White House oversight, and ceaseless political attacks on the bureaucracy all have contributed to the broken system. But while the news is troubling, the book also proposes a host of reforms, including a new model for measuring the success of the agencies and a revitalization of the civil service.
