Answer:
APPROACH AND STRUCTURE
1. Write by introducing dichotomy of Wilson.
2. Write some basics about Wilson.
3. Then write critics of dichotomy.
4. Show how criticism was exaggerated and Wilson’s concept meant something else.
5. Comment part: criticism is valid to some extent.
6. Conclude.
INTRODUCTION: Woodrow Wilson was the founding father of PA and his seminal essay study of administration laid the intellectual roots for the emergence of Public Administration as a separate discipline.
BODY: In the origin and development of the discipline of Public Administration, the concept of politics-administration dichotomy has played a seminal role. Woodrow Wilson, in his essay “the study of administration” has dealt with the concept of politics administration dichotomy in order to bring efficiency in administration.
The concept meant that politics and administration are two separate entities dealing with separate activities. Thus, the tools and techniques of politics cannot be applied in solving administrative problems.
Wilson says that “administration should be removed from the hurry and strife” of politics. Based on this dichotomy, Wilson argued forcefully for an independent discipline of Public Administration. Later, Good now, Willoughby, LD White et al further developed and strengthened the dichotomy.
Criticism of Wilson:
Thinkers belonging to behavioral and public policy schools like FM Marx, Dwight Waldo, Herbert Simon were critiques of the concept of Dichotomy. The contemporary views hold that the distinction given by Woodrow Wilson is not applicable in the present scenario. They considered that politics and administration cant be separated. Some scholars went on saying that Wilson vacillated between separability and inseparability. Hence, it was believed that the concept of dichotomy stands rejected.
However, this interpretation was very narrow that Wilson wanted the complete separation. It was more considered as vacillation rather than giving a complex explanation to the concept but recent developments like when thinkers like Nicholas Henry twilight zone, Svara’s complementarity model and Indian scholars like Vidyut Chakraborty show that there can’t be simple yes or no about the exact relation between politics and administration. Does it mean Wilson vacillation was no vacillation at all. So, others say that what Wilson was talking about dichotomy wasn’t understood rather he was narrowly interpreted and criticised due to narrow interpretation.
In contemporary times, a movement emerged in Public administration which started reinterpreting and redefining Wilson’s concept of dichotomy.
This movement has the following schools‐
1. The school led by Martin believes that there is no complete separation as Wilson also reviewed his concept of dichotomy after three years of his essay‐ Study of Administration.
2. The second school led by David Rosenbloom, Dimock, and Dimock believes that Wilson neither wanted complete separation nor complete fusion of Politics and administration.
Complex relationship: politics and administration are two different activities. For the sake of efficiency and merit, the politics should not interfere in administration. Since there was spoils system in USA administration was badly affected due to political interference. They state that the main aim of separation was to establish an apolitical, non‐partisan, and impartial administration. The second school refutes the claim that Wilson was not clear rather he vacillated and did not clearly understand the relationship between public administration.
Wilson wanted separation but not complete separation. He only wanted separation because administration was partisan, politicised and lacked impartiality so there we needed to separate the administration from politics.
When Wilson said both shouldn’t be divorced from each other he wanted to say that PA is idealism in action and the administration should be influenced by normative values.
This is politics which sets the task of administration, tone of administration. So,its vision, actions, outlook should be guided by political values. Some thinkers like Henry, Svara etc. explain that both domains are autonomous but at the same time they have complement relationship. They’ve to work and coordinate together.
Comment part: however, criticism of Wilson on dichotomy appears to be true to some extent as he could not clearly draw out the tenets of separability and inseparability. If politics and administration are separated then administration may become tyrranical. There would be lack of checks and balances on administration.
CONCLUSION:
So, at present time explanation related to dichotomy it seems to be more reinforcing his thought. From today’s perspective, it will wrong to say Wilson as vague, naïve and vacillating between separability and inseparability. Rather, there exists a complex relationship between politics and administration, which even Wilson was aware. Nevertheless, Dichotomy is also considered as DNA of public administration by Dwight Waldo and even if it has been rejected, the need for a separate discipline still remains relevant which is evident from the evolution of the discipline over the 130 years.
Spread the Word
