Public Service

This research paper reviews one of the most common ethical problems that public servants face while carrying out their duties. The role of politics in administration is complex and many have attempted to separate out the two interests. President Woodrow Wilson advocated for a politics-administration dichotomy and believed that administration should not be influenced by politics. However others have refuted this simplistic belief such as Dwight Waldo. In today's polarized world it is often challenging for individuals to separate politics from administration. Thus, administration will always be influenced by politics. However, the question for public administrators is when and how they should act with discretion and utilize personal values and ethical judgment.

This dicussion post reviews a theory by William Niskanen which states that public sector employees are primarily motivated by self-interests such as salary, public reputation, power, ease of managing a bureau, among others. I argue agaisnt this theory, not only based on evidence, but also based on first-hand interactions.  Most public sector employees are not usually motivated in the way that Niskanen discribes. They are mostly driven by a desire to serve the public and make change in their communties.