Practice question · Multiple choice
Wilson's politics-administration dichotomy fails as an accurate description of how modern governments operate, yet remains central to democratic governance. Why does it persist despite this empirical failure?
Hints
- Does a model's practical failure necessarily destroy its value as an institutional goal?
- What standard protects public servants from being treated as partisan political agents?
Show the answer
C. It serves as a normative ideal to preserve non-partisan civil service standards
Why
Confusing normative ideals with empirical facts leads students to dismiss the model entirely. While administration inevitably involves policy judgement and discretion, the dichotomy remains essential as an ethical standard protecting civil service impartiality from politicisation.
Practise Politics and Bureaucracy
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