Toward a Theory of Political Participation of Public Bureaucrats

Abstract

Electoral and legislative participation patterns of two nonrandom samples of Hawaiian and Filipino public bureaucrats are examined with relevant data from the literature for the purpose of constructing an explanatory model. Tentative findings indicate electoral, legislative, and differentiated behavior vary with hierarchical structure and length of service, or income, in the merit system. In the patronage system, party preference is a significant predictor. The major elements of the theoretical framework, upon which future research might be based, are(1) indirect system factors of merit or patronage orientations, legal regulations, and political-cultural variables; (2) direct individual factors including perception of benefit-costs, and political resources and liabilities of bureaucrats, and (3) the dependent variables-who participates, types of participation, and proportions participating.