Marleen Brans and Annie Hondeghem
- Published in print:
- 1999
- Published Online:
- November 2003
- ISBN:
- 9780198294467
- eISBN:
- 9780191600067
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0198294468.003.0007
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
The Belgian senior civil service is in transition, with external pressures clearly pushing the government firmly towards a reform agenda and improving public confidence in the administrative system, ...
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The Belgian senior civil service is in transition, with external pressures clearly pushing the government firmly towards a reform agenda and improving public confidence in the administrative system, in terms of democracy and accountability and of economy and efficiency. In addition, budgetary pressures have combined with political will to ensure that the operation of the administration complies with the new managerialist paradigm. This chapter gives an overview of the position of senior civil servants in the Belgian federal ministries (the federal civil service). It consists of three main sections: the first describes the coexistence of two opposing civil service models, a formal bureaucratic one and an informal politicized one, and assesses the implications of the clash between these models for the position (job definition, classification, and security; the career ladder; salaries; political appointments; and ministerial cabinets) and role conceptions of top civil servants; the second addresses the issue of representativeness of the senior civil service in terms of education, language, and gender; the third deals with the two major challenges to the Belgian senior civil service (external pressure and internal constraints) and the resulting structural reform agenda.Less
The Belgian senior civil service is in transition, with external pressures clearly pushing the government firmly towards a reform agenda and improving public confidence in the administrative system, in terms of democracy and accountability and of economy and efficiency. In addition, budgetary pressures have combined with political will to ensure that the operation of the administration complies with the new managerialist paradigm. This chapter gives an overview of the position of senior civil servants in the Belgian federal ministries (the federal civil service). It consists of three main sections: the first describes the coexistence of two opposing civil service models, a formal bureaucratic one and an informal politicized one, and assesses the implications of the clash between these models for the position (job definition, classification, and security; the career ladder; salaries; political appointments; and ministerial cabinets) and role conceptions of top civil servants; the second addresses the issue of representativeness of the senior civil service in terms of education, language, and gender; the third deals with the two major challenges to the Belgian senior civil service (external pressure and internal constraints) and the resulting structural reform agenda.
Jan-Hinrik Meyer-Sahling and Krisztina Jager
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199599370
- eISBN:
- 9780191741517
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199599370.003.0009
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
This chapter examines party patronage in Hungary. It argues that party patronage reaches into all areas of the public sector. Political appointments are relatively more important for the ministerial ...
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This chapter examines party patronage in Hungary. It argues that party patronage reaches into all areas of the public sector. Political appointments are relatively more important for the ministerial bureaucracy than for executive agencies and executing institutions such as state-owned enterprises. They are more common at the top of institutions, predominantly for the sake of politically controlling the policy process. The chapter shows that party patronage varies across sectors. Three patterns are distinguished. They are labelled as ‘captured sectors’ such as the Media, ‘partially disciplined sectors’ such as Finance and Economy, and ‘partially insulated sectors’ such as the Judiciary. The chapter concludes that party patronage contributes to the stabilization of parties and party systems in Hungary. Yet patronage increases corruption risks in the public sector, breeds popular distrust in political parties, and hence runs the risk of being self-defeating for the parties that rely on it.Less
This chapter examines party patronage in Hungary. It argues that party patronage reaches into all areas of the public sector. Political appointments are relatively more important for the ministerial bureaucracy than for executive agencies and executing institutions such as state-owned enterprises. They are more common at the top of institutions, predominantly for the sake of politically controlling the policy process. The chapter shows that party patronage varies across sectors. Three patterns are distinguished. They are labelled as ‘captured sectors’ such as the Media, ‘partially disciplined sectors’ such as Finance and Economy, and ‘partially insulated sectors’ such as the Judiciary. The chapter concludes that party patronage contributes to the stabilization of parties and party systems in Hungary. Yet patronage increases corruption risks in the public sector, breeds popular distrust in political parties, and hence runs the risk of being self-defeating for the parties that rely on it.
Gunnar Helgi Kristinsson
- Published in print:
- 2012
- Published Online:
- September 2012
- ISBN:
- 9780199599370
- eISBN:
- 9780191741517
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199599370.003.0010
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics
The chapter applies two theories of patronage to Iceland. According to rewards theory, patronage is used by party leaders to reward supporters in a clientelist network of exchange. Control theory, on ...
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The chapter applies two theories of patronage to Iceland. According to rewards theory, patronage is used by party leaders to reward supporters in a clientelist network of exchange. Control theory, on the other hand, sees patronage as a way for politicians of regaining control in the public sector. While rewards patronage has a long history in Iceland, there are indications that it has been declining in recent years, in conjunction with decreasing importance of voluntary work in the parties. Appointments along the lines suggested by control theory, serving strategic purposes, remain frequent. A tidy transition, however, from rewards to control is not what has taken place. Control appointments undermine bureaucratic autonomy and in practice become mixed with the continued use of reward appointments. Hence, the Icelandic system can only be described as a mixed one, where both rewards and control appointments remain common.Less
The chapter applies two theories of patronage to Iceland. According to rewards theory, patronage is used by party leaders to reward supporters in a clientelist network of exchange. Control theory, on the other hand, sees patronage as a way for politicians of regaining control in the public sector. While rewards patronage has a long history in Iceland, there are indications that it has been declining in recent years, in conjunction with decreasing importance of voluntary work in the parties. Appointments along the lines suggested by control theory, serving strategic purposes, remain frequent. A tidy transition, however, from rewards to control is not what has taken place. Control appointments undermine bureaucratic autonomy and in practice become mixed with the continued use of reward appointments. Hence, the Icelandic system can only be described as a mixed one, where both rewards and control appointments remain common.
P.E. Digeser
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- January 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780231174343
- eISBN:
- 9780231542111
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Columbia University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7312/columbia/9780231174343.003.0007
- Subject:
- Philosophy, Political Philosophy
Establishes that political and legal institutions can encourage and discourage friendship in various ways. Although the law can and should be friendlier to friendship, it will be an imperfect ...
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Establishes that political and legal institutions can encourage and discourage friendship in various ways. Although the law can and should be friendlier to friendship, it will be an imperfect instrument for its enablement if it is important to preserve the diversity of our practices of friendship.Less
Establishes that political and legal institutions can encourage and discourage friendship in various ways. Although the law can and should be friendlier to friendship, it will be an imperfect instrument for its enablement if it is important to preserve the diversity of our practices of friendship.
Kira D. Jumet
- Published in print:
- 2017
- Published Online:
- October 2017
- ISBN:
- 9780190688455
- eISBN:
- 9780190688493
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780190688455.003.0006
- Subject:
- Political Science, Democratization, Political Economy
This chapter outlines the individual grievances arising from political, economic, social, and religious conditions under the government of Mohamed Morsi that became the foundations of opposition to ...
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This chapter outlines the individual grievances arising from political, economic, social, and religious conditions under the government of Mohamed Morsi that became the foundations of opposition to his rule. It focuses on democracy in Egypt, the 2012 presidential elections, and the expectations and promises put forth by Morsi. The chapter also covers popular perceptions of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party, grievances surrounding electricity and gas, security and sexual harassment, Morsi’s speeches and representation of Egypt on the international stage, and Morsi’s political appointments. The chapter relies on interview data and fieldwork conducted in Egypt during the year of Morsi’s presidency.Less
This chapter outlines the individual grievances arising from political, economic, social, and religious conditions under the government of Mohamed Morsi that became the foundations of opposition to his rule. It focuses on democracy in Egypt, the 2012 presidential elections, and the expectations and promises put forth by Morsi. The chapter also covers popular perceptions of the Muslim Brotherhood and the Freedom and Justice Party, grievances surrounding electricity and gas, security and sexual harassment, Morsi’s speeches and representation of Egypt on the international stage, and Morsi’s political appointments. The chapter relies on interview data and fieldwork conducted in Egypt during the year of Morsi’s presidency.