Professional Fiefdoms Appraised: The Case of Social Services

Abstract

Much of recent discussion in regard to public services has been about which plane of government in the federal system should do what, and what the scale of the units should be. There is a constant quest for the right territorial unit. This essay will address a different question which is no less pertinent to our times and only a little less pertinent to American federalism-one that is often linked to questions of scale or plane but is obviously distinct from it. This is the issue of generalist versus specialist administration of government functions. The choice is not either-or, of course. The issues are ones of proportion and balance: what is the right mix as among the professional specialists who tend to dominate the line agencies in American executive branches and others in executive positions, be they elected chief executives, political appointees at the top levels of departments, or career generalists in staff units such as budgeting or planning and evaluation.