Evolution Of Bureaucracy

Public Administration practiced throughout time, in different forms and fashion, recently carved an identity for itself as a separate discipline. It swirled into the limelight through Woodrow Wilson’s work, “The Study of Administration” which advocated a separate field of study, for the art and science of Public Administration. After Woodrow Wilson’s work, a series of theories emerged that helped in the evolution of Public Administration as a separate discipline and received a matter of great research and analysis. Dimock and Dimock define Public Administration as “… the study of what people want through government and how they go about getting it. In addition, Administration also emphasizes the methods and procedures of Management. Thus,

Bureaucracy is an organizational form with certain dominant characteristics e.g.: hierarchy of authority and a system of rules. It is distinguished from informal and collegial organizations. In its ideal form, bureaucracy is impersonal and rational and based on the rules and regulations of the organization. In his analysis of Organizations, Weber identified three basic types of legitimate authority; Traditional, Charismatic and Rational Legal Authority. Weber postulated the term “legitimate authority”, in which authority is distinguished from power. Power is unilateral, in that it enables one person to force another to behave in a certain way; whether by strength of rewards and Authority implies acceptance of rule by those over whom it is to be exercised. He identifies three types of legitimate authority; Traditional Authority, Charismatic Authority and Rational-Legal

Therefore, officials are appointed and not elected. In appointing persons, only those qualified for the job, that has demonstrated adequate technical training are hired. In the most rational cases, qualifications are presented through certificates or examinations to test one’s technical competence. Appointments are made by the Public Service Commissions. The Public Service Commissions was originally established under the Trinidad and Tobago order in Council in 1950 to advise the Governor on the appointment, promotion and transfer and discipline of those members of the Civil Service. The Public Service Commission Regulations found in the Constitution of Trinidad and Tobago, Chapter 3 deals with, “Appointments, Promotions and Transfers” of public servants. For example, if a bureaucrat is negligent on the job, they can be disciplined within the organization but not by their superior but by the Service