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"It is impossible for bureaucrats to be politically neutral"

I have been set an essay (title above) which i have no idea how to start. It is worth 50 marks and must refer to both the UK and USA, any help would be appreciated!!

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Reply 1
Avatar for Teebs
Teebs
16
Selection procedures - look at the number of top bureaucrats selected by the UK PM compared to the US president.
Entrenchment of the bureaucracy so that they have their own interests, particularly against any reduction in their power.
There should be some material out there about Thatcher reforming the civil service and also feeling obstructed by them.

That should give you a start.
Reply 2
Avatar for Renner
Renner
19
Watch some Yes Minister or Yes Prime Minister for info on the UK, little out dated now but its based on reality.
I'd argue that they have an interest in maintaining their job, even if it is inefficient. In the private sector this could be achieved by increasing personal performance and productivity. No performance = no job. In the public sector there is no such accountabiliy and hence there can be 'bureaucratic bubbles' that form, such people will always have an interest in the expansion of government even when it is not in the interests of efficiency.
Reply 4
Avatar for Stomm
Stomm
14
Its in everyone's interest to maintain their job. I have seen plenty of examples of people in the public sector defending 'their little corner' of a business against change, or attempts to increase efficiency or operational effectiveness. It's not something purely found in the public sector.

But as to the topic in question. Basically it's asking about political independence of the bureaucracy. There is lots and lots out there written on political bureaucracies, even in specific areas like foreign policy, heck there are even a few theories out there as well. But as to practical examples, for the UK at least you can see that the independence of the civil service has been eroded with the introduction of 'special advisors' under Thatcher, and their increasing use, especially under New Labour from '97, quite often to try to circumvent existing structures.

As to the US, can't really help much there as I don't know that much about the US civil service structures. However I am aware that the President directly appoints the heads of several large agencies, which certainly isn't the case in the UK.

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