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The Concept of Politics and Administration Dichotomy

The document discusses the politics-administration dichotomy theory proposed by Woodrow Wilson in 1887. [1] Wilson argued that politics and administration are inherently different and should be separated, with politics setting tasks for administration but not manipulating its offices. [2] He viewed politics as activity in large universal matters and administration as activity in small individual matters, with politics as the province of statesmen and administration as the province of technical officials. [3] The perceived advantages of the dichotomy include maintaining a strong productive government and creating checks and balances between elected officials and administrators.

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Xyrelle Reyes
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298 views11 pages

The Concept of Politics and Administration Dichotomy

The document discusses the politics-administration dichotomy theory proposed by Woodrow Wilson in 1887. [1] Wilson argued that politics and administration are inherently different and should be separated, with politics setting tasks for administration but not manipulating its offices. [2] He viewed politics as activity in large universal matters and administration as activity in small individual matters, with politics as the province of statesmen and administration as the province of technical officials. [3] The perceived advantages of the dichotomy include maintaining a strong productive government and creating checks and balances between elected officials and administrators.

Uploaded by

Xyrelle Reyes
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES

College of Political Science and Public Administration


Department of Public Administration and Governance
INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

The Concept of
Politics and
Administration
Dichotomy

Assoc. Prof. MICHVILLE A. RIVERA, MPA


Politics vs. Administration
Politics-Administration Dichotomy
The term dichotomy is from the Greek language
Greek: διχοτομία dichotomía "dividing in two“.

In Public
Administration:
- is a theory that constructs the
boundaries of public administration and
asserts the normative relationship
between elected officials and
administrators in a democratic society.
Politics-Administration Dichotomy

WOODROW WILSON (28th US


President) is credited with the
politics-administration dichotomy
via his theories on public
administration in his 1887 essay,
"The Study of Administration".
Wilson came up with a theory
that politics and administration
are inherently different and
should be approached as such.

“The field of administration is a field of business. It is


removed from the hurry and strife of politics....
Administration lies outside the proper sphere of politics.”
According to
W. Wilson: “Administrative questions are not political
questions. Although politics sets the tasks for
administration, it should not be suffered to
manipulate its offices.”
According to Politics is a state of activity in things great and
W. Wilson: universal, while administration is the activity of
state in individual and small things.
Thus, politics is the special province of
statesman, while administration is the province
of technical official.
Perceived
Advantages
1. Politics-administration dichotomy can
potentially be substantial in sustaining a
strong productive government.

2. Woodrow Wilson’s model created one


of the first concepts of checks and
balances.

3. Nevertheless “separating the will of


the people from politics” could be
extremely beneficial and institutionally
separating administration from politics
could prove valuable in sustaining
government accountability.
Perceived
Advantages

4. Politics-administration dichotomy
also leads to political neutrality.

5. The blurring of "politics" and


"policy" has cause to the
advocations to dismiss "partisan
politics" rather than "policy politics."
The importance of neutrality in
politics and policy are established
within the politics-administration
dichotomy.
In general…

Politics and administration are


separate; As politics is the
expression of the will of the state,
the administration is the execution
of that will.

Politics thus, is the special province


of the statesman, while
administration is the province of the
technical official.
Maraming
Salamat Po!

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