刘亚平 专业英语 the administrative state

TheAdministrativeStatePastThereisalargecoreof“Orthodox”publicadministrationideology,butalsoaconsiderablemeasureofdoubtandeveniconoclasm;anincreasingdispositiontoengageinempiricalorfunctionalstudiesinwhichtheoreticalpostulatesareobscureandperhapsdenied,butalsoanumberoffocioftheoreticalactivityofgreatpotentialimportance;andanumberoftheoreticalproblemsthatshouldberecognized,clearlystated,andcompetentlytreated.Thefieldatpresentshowsmuchevidenceofvigorandgrowth,andconsiderableprogressincriticism,synthesis,andcreativethoughtcanconfidentlybepredicted.PastAtthehearoforthodoxideologyisthepostulatethattruedemocracyandtrueefficiencyaresynonymous,oratleastreconcilable.Anotherimportantdoctrineisthepolitics-administrationformula;thenotionthattheworkofgovernmentisdivisibleintotwoparts,decisionandexecution,andthatexecutionisorcanbemadeascience.Thenotionthatthereareprinciples,scientificallyandethicallyvalid,thatcanbeuncoveredbyscientificstudy,isalsostillanorthodoxtenet.PastThereisanareaofexplicitdoubtandskepticismaboutallofthesetenetsexceptthefirst.Butcriticalthinkinghastakenplace,intheformofbroadeningorrejectionoftheoriginaldefinitionsofdemocracyandefficiency.Doubthasarisenaboutboththepossibilityanddesirabilityofmakingasharpseparationofpowerofdivisionoffunctionbetweenthedecidingandtheexecutingagenciesofgovernment.Thinkingaboutthenatureandimperativesof“science”and“principles”becomesincreasinglymorecritical,moresubtle.AndtherearethosewhowouldremodelextensivelythehistoricalstructureofAmericanbusinessaswellasthatofgovernmentaladministrationinthenameofdemocracy,orforthesakeofgivingtheexperthisproperrole.PresentOneofthemostobviousfeaturesofrecentwritingonpublicadministrationisitslargevolumeandwidescope,togetherwithanincreasingtendencytospecialized,factualor“empirical”studies.Muchofthespecialization,however,isinthefunctionalaspectsofadministration,ratherthaninitsinstitutionalaspects.Thisfact,togetherwiththesheervolumeandincreasingdiversityofinstitutionalstudy,posesinaveryacuteformtheproblemwhetherthereisastudyofadministration“assuch”;atleastwhetherthereisa“functionofadministration,”assuch,inwhichtrainingorspecializationispossible.Haveyounotgonetoofarinrejectingprinciplesandembracinganuncriticalempiricism?Whetherinrejectingnineteenth-centuryconceptsof“principles”thepurposeortheorythatmustenlightenandinformanysignificantinquiryhasnotalsobeendenied.FutureThefutureofadministrativetheoryisdependentuponwhathappensintheworldatlarge.Administrativethoughtwillaffect,aswellasreflect,thefutureevents.ButitwillnotbeoneofthePrimeForces,atleastinthenearfuture.Thenumbersofitsdevoteesandtherangeofitsinfluencearetoolimited.Itsonlynowfreeingitselffromastraitjacketofitsowndevising–theinstrumentalistphilosophyofthepolitics-administrationformula–thathaslimiteditsbreadthandscope.Attheleveloftechniqueorprocedure,scientificmanagementwillundoubtedlycontinue.Pragmaticphilosophymayplayalargerroleinthefuturethaninthepast.Recentinfluxofforeignstudentsofadministration.QuestionsforfutureTheplaceoftheexpertinademocraticsociety.Providingadequatepreparationanda“philosophy”forouradministrators.Theadequacyof“theoryoforganization”Theadequacyof“theoryoforganization”Arestudentsofadministrationtryingtosolvetheproblemsofhumancooperationontoolowaplane?Havethey,bythedoubleprocessofregardingmoreandmoreformaldataoverawiderandwiderfieldofhumanorganization,lostsight,penetration?Ifformalanalysisoforganizationswithoutregardtothepurposesthatinspirethembutatediouselaborationoftheinsignificant?Themaintenetsofpublicadministrationmovementemergedinthedecadespreceding1914;theycrystallizedintoageneralpoliticaltheoryintheProgressiveyears.This“orthodox”pointofviewisbynomeansanunchallengedfaith;butgenerally,itisstillgospelinourschools,atleastinundergraduatecourses.Perhapsthetenetsoforthodoxystillrepresentthe“truth”forourtimeandourneeds.Assuredly,theirairofcertaintyandstabilityappealstotheemotionsinthesedaysofcrisisandconfusion.Buttheapparentlikelihoodofadisintegrationoftheoldoutlookandthesynthesisofanewmustberecognized.Inanyevent,ifabandonmentofthe