A Case for Reinterpreted Dichotomy of Politics and Administration as a Professional Standard in Council-Manager Government

Abstract

ffectively carried out the policies of the council. Over the years, a number of scholars have suggested that such a strict interpretation might not be what early proponents of a dichotomy had intended (Golembiewski, 1977; 9-11; Cooper, 1984; 80-84; Waldo, 1984; 222-225). Nevertheless, the idea of an institutional separation has persisted and has been the foil for numerous studies. In a recent review of the literature, James Svara found consistent evidence that, almost throughout the history of the council-manager plan, managers have played an active role in the policy process. Yet instead of being settled, the issue has been periodically rediscovered (Svara, 1989; 77). Svara attributed the dichotomy's persistence to its partial descriptive accuracy and to its normative appeal as a guide for administrative behavior consistent with democratic theory. His own reconceptualization of council-manager relationships as a mission-management continuum appears to improve on the descriptive accuracy of the dichotomy without abandoning the idea of role separation (Svara, 1985, 1989). John Nalbandian (1991) takes a stronger position. He argues that politics has transformed the role of the city manager from that of neutral expert to community leader and problem solver. The dichotomy persists not as a guide to behavior but as an intellectual device connecting practice to theory. He seeks to replace this function of the dichotomy with an expanded base of professional values for city managers. We agree with Svara and Nalbandian that the dichotomy of policy and administration, as traditionally interpreted, prescribes roles that are neither practical nor desirable in council-manager government. On the other hand, we think that few would wish to abandon the dichotomy of politics and administration as a bulwark against certain forms of particularism, such as special favors in hiring or contracting decisions. Must we throw out the baby with the bath water? The answer depends upon what we mean by the dichotomy and how we intend to use the concept. We focus on the politics-administration dichotomy as a professional standard in council-manager government, not as a description of actual behavior. In this we follow Herbert Simon's normative interpretation of the dichotomy (1967; 88). The debate over its utility should rest, we think, on both normative issues (the values served) and empirical issues (whether such a standard can actually affect behavior in desired ways). Under this perspective, evidence that some behavior falls short of the standard is not, in itself, grounds for abandoning the standard. On the other hand, if a standard proscribes behavior, such as participation in the policy process, which is necessary to the job, then the standard may be of no value or even of negative value because it robs practitioners of legitimacy. So, it is crucial to examine exactly what the standard is and what behavior it advocates. This article is divided into two principal parts. In the first, we reinterpret the dichotomy. In the second, we explore the implications for council-manager government. Reinterpreting the Dichotomies We make the case that it is reasonable to base an interpretation of the dichotomies on the writings of Woodrow Wilson (1887) and Frank Goodnow (1900) because of their historical connection with the council-manager plan. The dichotomy of policy and administration was a conceptual distinction underlying a theory of democratic accountability. It was not intended as a guide to behavior. The dichotomy of politics and administration was intended as a behavioral prescription directed against contemporary practices of machine politics. The reformers' arguments apply as well to the broader issue of particularism in government, which is as relevant today as it was a century ago. The institutional ban on particularistic politics in administration was not a ban on discretion, as long as administrators were accountable. …