What the Greeks taught us and we British have forgotten

an article by Howard James Elcock (Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne) published in Public Policy and Administration Volume 29 Number 3 (July 2014)

Abstract

The ancient Greek philosophers taught us many of the desirable features of government, but since 1979 we have lost sight of most of them. We now have a restricted view of citizenship, a defective view of the public interest, a diluted public service ethic, little public service education and training and above all we have lost sight of the Greeks’ demand to seek the good life and the good society.

Instead we have the ‘Three Es’ and a business approach which is profit led.

Leadership and action are needed to restore the former virtues of British government, many of which were learnt from Plato and Aristotle.

Hazel’s comment:
When I first became a civil servant in 1971 the emphasis was on the true meaning of both of those words.
I had to be civil – even when asked whether I knew when the next bus into town was. A frequent happening as a direct result of the Jobcentre having a bus stop right outside.
And I had to provide a service – to both employers and jobseekers and provide value for money to my paymaster.

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What can UK public administration learn from the devolved nations?

an article by Richard Parry (University of Edinburgh) published in Public Policy and Administration Volume 27 Number 3 (July 2012)

Abstract

Since the UK devolved administrations first took office in 1999, they have asserted their distinctiveness and identity while remaining within UK norms and traditions of public administration.

Many variables now show a balance between institutional continuity and adaptive local practices, including:

• distinctions between the executive and legislative branches, and between ministers and civil servants;
• control of expenditure within the UK managed total;
• the unified Home Civil Service;
• the position of special advisers;
• professional networks inside government;
• public sector integration and joined-up government; and
• techniques of coalition formation and management.

Whether these amount to Scottish and Welsh models of public administration (alongside the clearly singular Northern Ireland model) is more contestable.

Generally the devolved administrations fall within continuing patterns of UK government, including recent concepts such as ‘public service bargains’, ‘everyday life’ and ‘policy bureaucracy’. The system has proved resilient even in the face of challenges to the UK constitutional order, especially in Scotland, where officials have advised the Scottish National Party government about their constitutional aspirations in the same way as they do for other policy areas, whether or not devolved.

Controversy over this role is a reminder that public administration is a third dimension alongside the politics of nationalism and devolution and the service-specific public policies of the devolved nations, and also a contribution to our understanding of adaptations of the Whitehall model.

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