ABSTRACT
This chapter examines the marriage of politics and administration. The election of Andrew Jackson to the presidency ushered in a new public administration philosophy—the so-called “spoils system.” Policy stands as an expression of state will through elected officials, and public administrators should execute that expression of state will in a professional, competent, and apolitical fashion. Public administration needed to emerge as a profession, and public administrators needed to conduct themselves as such; that is, public administrators must be responsible, professional, and efficient. In contrast to the notions of nineteenth-century reformers such as W. Wilson and F. Goodnow, twentieth-century analysts acknowledged the reality that appointed administrative officials often take the lead in making policy, while lower-level public officials often interpret policies. Policy determination should occur via the political process, while policy implementation should be the realm of apolitical administrators only.
