Julian Le Grand
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- April 2004
- ISBN:
- 9780199266999
- eISBN:
- 9780191600869
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199266999.001.0001
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Public and Welfare
Can we rely on the public service ethos to deliver high quality public services? Are professionals such as doctors and teachers really public‐spirited altruists—knights—or self‐interested ...
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Can we rely on the public service ethos to deliver high quality public services? Are professionals such as doctors and teachers really public‐spirited altruists—knights—or self‐interested egoists—knaves? And how should the recipients of those services, patients, parents, and pupils, be treated? As passive recipients—pawns—or as active consumers—queens?This book offers answers to these questions. It argues that the original welfare state was designed on the assumptions that those who worked within it were basically altruists or knights and that the beneficiaries were passive recipients or pawns. In consequence, services were often of low quality, delivered in a patronising fashion and inequitable in outcome. However, services designed on an opposite set of assumptions—that public service professionals are knaves and that users should be queens—also face problems: exploitation by unscrupulous professionals, and overuse by demanding consumers, especially middle class ones.The book draws on evidence from Britain and abroad to show that, in fact, public policies designed on the basis that professionals are a mixture of knight and knave and recipients a mixture of pawn and queen deliver better quality and greater equity than policies based on more simplistic assumptions about motivation and agency. In particular, contrary to popular mythology, the book shows that policies that offer choice and competition within public services such as education and health care can deliver both excellence and equity. And policies aimed at building up individual assets and wealth ownership can empower the poor and powerless more effectively than those aimed simply at bolstering their current income.Less
Can we rely on the public service ethos to deliver high quality public services? Are professionals such as doctors and teachers really public‐spirited altruists—knights—or self‐interested egoists—knaves? And how should the recipients of those services, patients, parents, and pupils, be treated? As passive recipients—pawns—or as active consumers—queens?
This book offers answers to these questions. It argues that the original welfare state was designed on the assumptions that those who worked within it were basically altruists or knights and that the beneficiaries were passive recipients or pawns. In consequence, services were often of low quality, delivered in a patronising fashion and inequitable in outcome. However, services designed on an opposite set of assumptions—that public service professionals are knaves and that users should be queens—also face problems: exploitation by unscrupulous professionals, and overuse by demanding consumers, especially middle class ones.
The book draws on evidence from Britain and abroad to show that, in fact, public policies designed on the basis that professionals are a mixture of knight and knave and recipients a mixture of pawn and queen deliver better quality and greater equity than policies based on more simplistic assumptions about motivation and agency. In particular, contrary to popular mythology, the book shows that policies that offer choice and competition within public services such as education and health care can deliver both excellence and equity. And policies aimed at building up individual assets and wealth ownership can empower the poor and powerless more effectively than those aimed simply at bolstering their current income.
Raymond Plant
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199281756
- eISBN:
- 9780191713040
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199281756.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics, Political Theory
One of the central themes of this chapter is the neo‐liberal critique of the ‘public service ethic’ which it has been thought by Social Democratic thinkers as the main way in which the ...
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One of the central themes of this chapter is the neo‐liberal critique of the ‘public service ethic’ which it has been thought by Social Democratic thinkers as the main way in which the self‐interested behaviour of welfare bureaucracies can be constrained. The chapter looks at the close links between the neo‐liberal approach to this and the Public Choice School of public policy analysts who argue that the role and expansion of welfare bureaucracy is best explained by the utility maximizing behaviour at work in such bureaucracies when they are exempt from market disciplines and the possibility of bankruptcy. The role of interest groups in a welfare state is taken up again with reference to the work of Macur Olson in terms of his account of the rigidities caused to the economy by long lasting interest groups. The neo‐liberal approach to trades unions is also considered in this chapter.Less
One of the central themes of this chapter is the neo‐liberal critique of the ‘public service ethic’ which it has been thought by Social Democratic thinkers as the main way in which the self‐interested behaviour of welfare bureaucracies can be constrained. The chapter looks at the close links between the neo‐liberal approach to this and the Public Choice School of public policy analysts who argue that the role and expansion of welfare bureaucracy is best explained by the utility maximizing behaviour at work in such bureaucracies when they are exempt from market disciplines and the possibility of bankruptcy. The role of interest groups in a welfare state is taken up again with reference to the work of Macur Olson in terms of his account of the rigidities caused to the economy by long lasting interest groups. The neo‐liberal approach to trades unions is also considered in this chapter.
Maria Koumenta
- Published in print:
- 2011
- Published Online:
- April 2015
- ISBN:
- 9780199605439
- eISBN:
- 9780191806803
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199605439.003.0014
- Subject:
- Business and Management, Political Economy
This chapter examines whether there is a public service ‘ethos’ that contributes to the quality of public services. It looks at recent attempts to change its orientation to become more ...
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This chapter examines whether there is a public service ‘ethos’ that contributes to the quality of public services. It looks at recent attempts to change its orientation to become more customer-focused. It argues that the public service ethos has the potential to create ‘principled agents’, and thus compensate for ‘noisy’ performance measures, costly monitoring procedures, and reliance on employee discretion commonly found in public service contexts. The chapter also asks whether the public service ethos stems from the relationship between employees and their employer, public or private, or between them and the activity in which they are engaged. It concludes by considering the circumstances under which public motives should be an integral part of service delivery and ways in which this can be achieved.Less
This chapter examines whether there is a public service ‘ethos’ that contributes to the quality of public services. It looks at recent attempts to change its orientation to become more customer-focused. It argues that the public service ethos has the potential to create ‘principled agents’, and thus compensate for ‘noisy’ performance measures, costly monitoring procedures, and reliance on employee discretion commonly found in public service contexts. The chapter also asks whether the public service ethos stems from the relationship between employees and their employer, public or private, or between them and the activity in which they are engaged. It concludes by considering the circumstances under which public motives should be an integral part of service delivery and ways in which this can be achieved.
Raymond Plant
- Published in print:
- 2009
- Published Online:
- February 2010
- ISBN:
- 9780199281756
- eISBN:
- 9780191713040
- Item type:
- book
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199281756.001.0001
- Subject:
- Political Science, Comparative Politics, Political Theory
This book has two central aims. The first is to give a fair, comprehensive, and analytical account of the central features of the neo‐liberal view about the role and limits of the state in the modern ...
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This book has two central aims. The first is to give a fair, comprehensive, and analytical account of the central features of the neo‐liberal view about the role and limits of the state in the modern world. It considers important ideas such as the contrast between a state based on rules and the one based on outcomes, the implications of this contrast for the rule of law, for the ideas of freedom, social justice, and rights. It provides a full account of the neo‐liberal view of the relationship between the state and the economy and to civil society and voluntary organizations. It draws upon a wide range of works by neo‐liberal thinkers to build up the theoretical case for this conception of the role of government and politics. The thinkers at the heart of this part of the study are Hayek, Buchanan, Mises, Menger, as well as others who while not regarding themselves as neo‐liberals nevertheless have contributed to neo‐liberal ideas. These include Oakeshott, Nozick, and Rothbard. The study also looks at the public policy implications of neo‐liberal ideas in relation to the role of the welfare state and other forms of public sector provision. The second part of the book provides a detailed critical appraisal of some of the central neo‐liberal doctrines particularly in relation to the core ideas of freedom, justice, rights, the role of collective organizations in civil society, and the provision of welfare. The book argues that contrary to neo‐liberal arguments there is no coherent way of providing a sharp and categorical distinction between neo‐liberalism and Social Democracy on the one hand and libertarianism on the other.Less
This book has two central aims. The first is to give a fair, comprehensive, and analytical account of the central features of the neo‐liberal view about the role and limits of the state in the modern world. It considers important ideas such as the contrast between a state based on rules and the one based on outcomes, the implications of this contrast for the rule of law, for the ideas of freedom, social justice, and rights. It provides a full account of the neo‐liberal view of the relationship between the state and the economy and to civil society and voluntary organizations. It draws upon a wide range of works by neo‐liberal thinkers to build up the theoretical case for this conception of the role of government and politics. The thinkers at the heart of this part of the study are Hayek, Buchanan, Mises, Menger, as well as others who while not regarding themselves as neo‐liberals nevertheless have contributed to neo‐liberal ideas. These include Oakeshott, Nozick, and Rothbard. The study also looks at the public policy implications of neo‐liberal ideas in relation to the role of the welfare state and other forms of public sector provision. The second part of the book provides a detailed critical appraisal of some of the central neo‐liberal doctrines particularly in relation to the core ideas of freedom, justice, rights, the role of collective organizations in civil society, and the provision of welfare. The book argues that contrary to neo‐liberal arguments there is no coherent way of providing a sharp and categorical distinction between neo‐liberalism and Social Democracy on the one hand and libertarianism on the other.
Julian Le Grand
- Published in print:
- 2003
- Published Online:
- April 2004
- ISBN:
- 9780199266999
- eISBN:
- 9780191600869
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/0199266999.003.0002
- Subject:
- Economics and Finance, Public and Welfare
Formulates more precisely what is meant by ‘knights’ and ‘knaves’, and examines the empirical evidence concerning the existence of different kinds of motivation in the public sector. It concludes, ...
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Formulates more precisely what is meant by ‘knights’ and ‘knaves’, and examines the empirical evidence concerning the existence of different kinds of motivation in the public sector. It concludes, unsurprisingly, that both self‐interested and altruistic motivations exist among the people working in public services and, more interestingly, that altruistic motivations often require that the individual himself or herself performs the relevant act.Less
Formulates more precisely what is meant by ‘knights’ and ‘knaves’, and examines the empirical evidence concerning the existence of different kinds of motivation in the public sector. It concludes, unsurprisingly, that both self‐interested and altruistic motivations exist among the people working in public services and, more interestingly, that altruistic motivations often require that the individual himself or herself performs the relevant act.
Marjorie Mayo, Gerald Koessl, Matthew Scott, and Imogen Slater
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- September 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781447311027
- eISBN:
- 9781447311034
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781447311027.003.0004
- Subject:
- Political Science, Public Policy
Chapter three opens by focussing upon debates on ethics and values with a particular focus on debates on the public service ethos and whether this is being undermined by public service modernisation ...
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Chapter three opens by focussing upon debates on ethics and values with a particular focus on debates on the public service ethos and whether this is being undermined by public service modernisation agendas. This sets the context for the discussion of Law Centres’ own distinctive ethos and professional values, drawing upon original research into the views and experiences of staff and volunteers in Law Centres in England. Law Centres were highly committed to the values associated with access to justice for all, regardless of the ability to pay and/ or other social disadvantages. In addition, they were strongly committed to working with disadvantaged communities to promote human rights and social justice agendas more widely, with an emphasis upon working holistically, collaboratively and in preventative ways to achieve these aims. These goals were potentially challenging to achieve at the best of times, let alone in the current context. On the contrary, government policies were being geared towards the promotion of competition and the increasing use of market mechanisms more generally.Less
Chapter three opens by focussing upon debates on ethics and values with a particular focus on debates on the public service ethos and whether this is being undermined by public service modernisation agendas. This sets the context for the discussion of Law Centres’ own distinctive ethos and professional values, drawing upon original research into the views and experiences of staff and volunteers in Law Centres in England. Law Centres were highly committed to the values associated with access to justice for all, regardless of the ability to pay and/ or other social disadvantages. In addition, they were strongly committed to working with disadvantaged communities to promote human rights and social justice agendas more widely, with an emphasis upon working holistically, collaboratively and in preventative ways to achieve these aims. These goals were potentially challenging to achieve at the best of times, let alone in the current context. On the contrary, government policies were being geared towards the promotion of competition and the increasing use of market mechanisms more generally.
David Hine and Gillian Peele
- Published in print:
- 2016
- Published Online:
- September 2016
- ISBN:
- 9780719097133
- eISBN:
- 9781526109873
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Manchester University Press
- DOI:
- 10.7228/manchester/9780719097133.003.0008
- Subject:
- Political Science, Political Theory
The chapter examines the ethical systems in place for regulating the civil service. It analyses a range of linked issues about the politicization of civil-service appointments and it explores the ...
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The chapter examines the ethical systems in place for regulating the civil service. It analyses a range of linked issues about the politicization of civil-service appointments and it explores the situation of special advisers, and the growth of ethical regulations affecting them.Less
The chapter examines the ethical systems in place for regulating the civil service. It analyses a range of linked issues about the politicization of civil-service appointments and it explores the situation of special advisers, and the growth of ethical regulations affecting them.
Marjorie Mayo, Gerald Koessl, Matthew Scott, and Imogen Slater
- Published in print:
- 2014
- Published Online:
- September 2014
- ISBN:
- 9781447311027
- eISBN:
- 9781447311034
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Policy Press
- DOI:
- 10.1332/policypress/9781447311027.003.0002
- Subject:
- Political Science, Public Policy
Chapter one outlines the history of varying approaches to social citizenship and the welfare state, exploring the different perspectives that underpin these debates. This sets the context for ...
More
Chapter one outlines the history of varying approaches to social citizenship and the welfare state, exploring the different perspectives that underpin these debates. This sets the context for critically exploring more recent debates on public service modernisation and the increasing use of market mechanisms in public service provision. Some individuals may benefit from increasing choice as a result of these policies. But others may have less choice as a result, and this especially applies to people living in less advantaged communities. Public service modernisation agendas can have significant impacts on public service professionals too, posing professional dilemmas, potentially undermining the public service ethos in the process.Less
Chapter one outlines the history of varying approaches to social citizenship and the welfare state, exploring the different perspectives that underpin these debates. This sets the context for critically exploring more recent debates on public service modernisation and the increasing use of market mechanisms in public service provision. Some individuals may benefit from increasing choice as a result of these policies. But others may have less choice as a result, and this especially applies to people living in less advantaged communities. Public service modernisation agendas can have significant impacts on public service professionals too, posing professional dilemmas, potentially undermining the public service ethos in the process.
