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Political Science Quarterly.
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VolumeII.] June,1887. [Number2.
POLITICAL SCIENCE
QUARTERLY.
was put aside as " practical detail " which clerks could arrange
afterdoctorshad agreed upon principles.
That political philosophytook this directionwas of course no
accident, no chance preferenceor perverse whim of political
philosophers. The philosophy of any time is, as Hegel says,
" nothing but the spirit of that time expressed in abstract
thought"; and political philosophy,like philosophy of every
other kind,has onlyheld up the mirrorto contemporary affairs.
The trouble in early times was almost altogether about the
constitutionof government; and consequently that was what
engrossed men's thoughts. There was littleor no troubleabout
administration, - at least little that was heeded by adminis-
opinionis wide awake and quite intentupon having its own way
anyhow. It is patheticto see a whole book writtenbya German
professorof political science for the purpose of saying to his
countrymen," Please try to have an opinion about national
affairs"; but a public which is so modest may at least be ex-
pected to be verydocile and acquiescent in learningwhat things
it has not a right to think and speak about imperatively. It
may be sluggish,but it will not be meddlesome. It will submit
to be instructedbefore it tries to instruct. Its political edu-
cation will come before its political activity. In trying to
instructour own public opinion, we are dealing with a pupil
apt to thinkitselfquite sufficiently instructedbeforehand.
The problemis to make public opinion efficientwithout suf-
feringit to be meddlesome. Directly exercised,in the oversight
of the daily details and in the choice of the daily means of gov-
ernment,public criticismis of course a clumsynuisance, a rus-
tic handling delicate machinery. But as superintendingthe
greaterforcesof formativepolicy alike in politics and adminis-
tration,public criticismis altogethersafe and beneficent,alto-
gether indispensable. Let administrativestudy find the best
means forgiving public criticismthis control and forshutting
it out fromall otherinterference.
But is the whole duty of administrativestudydone when it
has taught the people what sort of administrationto desire and
demand,and how to get what theydemand? Ought it not to
go on to drillcandidates forthe public service?
There is an admirable movementtowards universal political
education now afoot in this country. The time will soon come
when no college of respectabilitycan affordto do without a
well-filledchair of political science. But the education thus
imparted will go but a certain length. It will multiplythe
number of intelligentcritics of government,but it will create
no competentbody of administrators. It will prepare the way
forthe developmentof a sure-footedunderstandingof the gen-
eral principlesof government,but it will not necessarilyfoster
skill in conductinggovernment. It is an education which will
equip legislators,perhaps,but not executive officials. If we are
2I6 POLITICAL SCIENCE QUARTERLY [VOL. II.
to improvepublicopinion,whichis themotivepowerofgovern-
ment,we must prepare betterofficialsas the apparatus of gov-
ernment. If we are to putin newboilersand to mendthefires
whichdriveourgovernmental machinery, we mustnotleave the
old wheelsand jointsand valvesand bands to creak and buzz
and clatteron as best theymay at biddingof the new force.
We mustputin newrunningpartswherever thereis the least
lack ofstrength or adjustment.It willbe necessaryto organize
democracy by sendingup to the competitive examinations for
the civil servicemen definitely preparedforstandingliberal
tests as to technicalknowledge. A technicallyschooledcivil
servicewillpresently have becomeindispensable.
I knowthat a corps of civil servantspreparedby a special
schoolingand drilled,afterappointment, intoa perfected organ-
ization,with appropriatehierarchyand characteristic disci-
pline,seems to a greatmanyverythoughtful personsto con-
tain elementswhich mightcombineto make an offensive
officialclass,- a distinct,semi-corporate body with sympa-
thiesdivorcedfromthoseof a progressive, free-spiritedpeople,
and withhearts narrowed to the meanness of a bigoted official-
ism. Certainlysuch a class would be altogetherhatefuland
harmfulin the United States. Any measurescalculatedto
produceit would forus be measuresof reactionand of folly.
But to fearthe creationof a domineeringr, illiberalofficialism
as a resultofthestudiesI am here proposingis to miss alto-
getherthe principleupon whichI wish most to insist. That
principleis, thatadministration in the United States mustbe
at all pointssensitiveto publicopinion. A bodyof thoroughly
trainedofficialsservingduringgood behaviorwe musthave in
any case: thatis a plainbusinessnecessity. But the apprehen-
sionthatsucha bodywillbe anything un-American clearsaway
themomentit is asked,What is to constitutegood behavior?
For thatquestionobviouslycarriesits own answeron its face.
Steady,heartyallegianceto the policyof the government they
servewill constitutegood behavior. That policy will have no
taintof officialismaboutit. It willnotbe the creationof per-
manentofficials, butofstatesmenwhoseresponsibility to public
No. 2.] THE STUDY OF ADMINISTRATION. 2I 7
III.
Having thus viewed in some sort the subject-matterand the
objects of this study of administration,what are we to conclude
as to the methods best suited to it - the points of view most
advantageous forit ?
Governmentis so near us, so much a thing of our daily famil-
iar handling, that we can with difficultysee the need of any
philosophical study of it, or the exact point of such study,
should it be undertaken. We have been on our feet too long to
studynow the art of walking. We are a practical people, made
so apt, so adept in self-governmentby centuriesof experimental
drill that we are scarcely any longer capable of perceiving the
awkwardness of the particular system we may be using, just
because it is so easy for us to use any system. We do not
study the art of governing: we govern. But mere unschooled
genius foraffairswill not save us fromsad blundersin adminis-
tration. Though democrats by long inheritanceand repeated
choice, we are still rathercrude democrats. Old as democracy
2I8 POLITICAL SCIENCE QUARTERLY. [VOL. IL