New development: Loyalty to principle or politics—The US civil service under attack … but is it justified?

Abstract

IMPACT It is very important to recognize that, apparent irony notwithstanding, a merit-based, apolitical career civil service has become a vital support to large-scale democracy. Thus, policies that seek to appoint loyalists in administrative positions threaten the basis of democracy. The authors stress the importance of a career civil service recruited on the basis of merit, while at the same time recognizing the need for genuine civil service reform. The article also highlights the importance of career civil servants to citizens.