LOCAL AUTHORITY BUREAUCRACIES: RESPONSIBLE, REPRESENTATIVE, OR DIVERGENT? EVIDENCE FROM SMALL POLITICAL SYSTEMS IN NORWAY

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Jacobsen, Dag Ingvar
• 署名单位: University of Agder
• 刊物名称: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0033-3298
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-9299.2012.02042.x
• 发表日期: 2012
• 页码: 1067-1087
• 关键词: active representation; empirical-evidence; elected officials; higher-education; public-opinion; GENDER; POLICY; attitudes; DEMOCRACY; GOVERNMENT

摘要

The political power of modern bureaucracies may be viewed as a democratic challenge. In fact, many reforms in the public sector aim to strengthen control over these bureaucracies, either by politicians or by citizens. This article argues that the need for control will depend on the degree of interest divergence between bureaucracy on the one hand, and politicians and citizens on the other. Still, attitudes in the three groups are seldom compared directly. Here, the attitudes towards different issues in the three groups are compared, within four small Norwegian municipalities. The results indicate that attitudes of local bureaucrats only to a limited degree diverge from those of politicians and the public, with one exception: attitudes towards so-called 'New Public Management' reforms. Implications for control over bureaucracies are discussed.