Responding to the Decline in Public Service Professionalism

Bibliographic Data

ID6359258
AuthorsFrank P Sherwood (corresponding author)
Year1997
Volume57
Issue3
Pages211-211
Publication date1997-05-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenuePublic Administration Review (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0033-3352 • E-ISSN: 1540-6210
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.2307/976651
OpenAlexW2076269911
LanguageEN
Citations received6

Governmental professionalism is declining. There are many more political appointees in bureaucracy, and environment has not been supportive or trusting. But public officials can play a role in restoring environment for professionalism. new service orientation may help. Alternatives to formal structure and senior executives service may also help. Richard Harwood of Washington Post made an observation that does not in any way constitute news. He wrote: The prestige of an occupation is a factor, too, and in that respect government service has suffered substantially since 1930s, when New Deal brain trusters set out to change world and since 1960s, when many of `best and brightest' flocked to New Frontier that beckoned in Washington. Today image of public service is tarnished (Harwood, 1994). What Harwood describes, of course, is not simply a condition existing in Washington. It pervades entire nation. I am old enough to remember way things were before World War II, and I have thought and written about condition of public service in United States for more than 40 years. I have seen decline first hand. But based on my observations over years, I believe there are things we can do to improve environment for public service professionalism. While Ronald Reagan consistently avowed that government, with much public acceptance, was the problem, government was seen as a real friend and defender before World War II. image of business was negative, with scandals on Wall Street and in public utilities particularly on public mind. At same time unions were developing rapidly and aggressively pursuing their special interests. Perhaps as a result, many thought there was a public interest that was superior to those of business and labor. Harold Laski, eminent British political scientist, is generally given credit for arguing that government is third, vital piece in this cast of actors. It is government that is charged with representing and defending public interest in society. To be sure, government had interests, but people clearly trusted it a great deal more than they trusted business or labor. Very few, in those days of Franklin Roosevelt, conceived of government as problem. belief in government as good and important died slowly. As society grew in complexity and diversity, new problems and needs were identified. expansion in number of tasks and responsibilities assigned to government at all levels in last 30 years has been astronomical. Yet governments did not perform credibly in a variety of arenas, partly because of deficient policies and partly because of organizational and managerial inadequacies. While John F. Kennedy gave a temporary boost to image of public service, decade of 1960s contributed further to rejection of government as a positive force. Vietnam War led to great distrust of and disregard for governmental edicts, but perhaps more important was recognition that we had a government that served white, generally male, majority. Little had been done to reconcile needs of minorities and thus to develop a public interest that was reflective of entire society. Voices of increasing breadth and intensity questioned integrity and even legitimacy of government. Over time, status of public service in United States has declined greatly. It is a condition that raises serious questions about ability of society to govern itself responsibly. Florida Situation I have lived in Florida for about 14 years and have had a good opportunity, through my academic assignment at Florida State University, to observe state government and its operation. My opportunity to know local governments has been more limited, because only two units (a city and a county) are in immediate vicinity

Business · Political science · Public service · Service (business · Marketing · Public Administration · Public Policy and Administration Research

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