Chapter 1: Accountability
What was the Hatch Act?
Prohibited some types of specific political activity
What is meant by "Accountability" in the three themes of public administration?
"Accountability is a relationship. It is about answerability to whom, for what."
What is meant by "Politics" in the three themes of public administration?
"The choices among values, including which values get emphasis and which don't"
What does the concept of administrative discretion mean?
"The exercise of professional expertise and judgement, as opposed to strict adherence to regulations or statutes, in making a decision or performing official acts or duties"
What is meant by "Performance" in the three themes of public administration?
"We expect public administration to work well, delivering effectiveness and efficiency."
What are revolving door regulations?
-Restrict current gov. officials from using their positions to get private sector jobs after leaving government //and\\ restrict former government officials from using their ties to channel contract awards to the private companies they now work for.
What is program accountability?
Asks whether a program is achieving its statute-defined purpose; if organization is following mission
In order, list the chart that describes accountability to public authority.
Citizens Elected Officials Public Administrators
What did the Rule of Law help to do?
Assuage fears of growing administrative power as government's role grew following America's breakaway from Great Britain
Why is there distrust in public administration?
Corruption (Bribery) Malevolence (Bias & Abuse) Incompetence (Ex. Flint Water Crisis)
What is the problem with whistleblowers in public administration?
Could raise a lot of questions about accountability within an agency
What did Herman Finer believe in terms of accountability?
Elected officials should be making the decisions regarding the public, while bureaucrats are responsible for implementing these decisions. DOES involve elected official involvement. Idea of rule of law.
When it comes to policy, officials have two choices...
Exit and Voice
What are the three elements of accountability?
Fiscal accountability Process accountability Program accountability
What is public administration?
Government setting goals and mobilizing people, authority, money, and organization to carry out those goals.
What does "accountability trade-offs" mean?
Idea that requiring a lot of accountability could lead to internal efforts to prevent transparency. Basically, would backfire.
What is a whistleblower?
Individual who takes it upon them-self to disclose to the public when they believe activities are wrong.
What are three expectations of public administrators?
Integrity Benevolence Competence
What did Carl Friedrich believe in terms of accountability?
Internal checks, like professional standards and technical knowledge, is enough to keep officials accountable. NO elected official involvement. Idea of professional norms.
Why is accountability considered the foundation of bureaucracy in democracy?
It relies on ability of policy makers to control administrators' actions.
What were some political challenges to the "Rule of Law" framework?
New Deal Government Expansion Friedrich vs. Finer Debate
What is "voice" in terms of public administration and policy?
Officials remain in their position and fight for what they think is right, even if it could be political damnation.
Which of the three elements of accountability is the newest and most difficult objective of control systems?
Program Accountability
What is accountability? The relationship between _______________ about ___________.
People (who is accountable to whom?) Actions (what are they accountable for?)
What are the three themes of public administration?
Politics Performance Accountability
What is the purpose of the "Rule of Law" framework?
Protecting citizen rights against government by writing limits on government power into law
What are external controls in terms of accountability?
Require that policymakers control administrators' actions
What does it mean for the policymaker's control to be positive?
Requiring the agency to do something it should do
What is "exit" in terms of public administration and policy?
Resigning, possibly leaving the policies and decisions they care about at more risk than before instead of staying and solving problem
What does it mean for the policymaker's control to be negative?
Seeking to prevent an agency from doing something it shouldn't do
What was the Friedrich vs. Finer Debate?
debate trying to decide the most effective way to hold public administrators accountable
What is fiscal accountability?
ensuring money isn't wasted or misused AND making sure the money is spent.
What is process accountability?
involves how agencies perform tasks related to "procedural fairness"