4 Democracy and the Status of Public Officials
As the functions of governments expanded and public affairs grew correspondingly more complex, government officials were required to possess more specialist professional skills. Bureaucracy became established as a career job. Under the absolute power of the monarch, these bureaucrats were provided a privileged position in society.
In response to public revolt, parliaments representing the people came to have legislative power. These parliaments attempted to overturn the privilege of bureaucrats, insisting that they change their status to that of public servants. In the United States, in particular, where democracy developed independent of any existing monarchy, government posts were considered to be the domain of the people from the very outset. A "spoils system" operated whereby elected officials gave public posts to their supporters as spoils of a political victory. Under this spoils system, however, the professionalism of bureaucrats was ignored and political interest was brought into the operational level of the public services. Public administration grew to be inefficient and corrupt and as a result the spoils system was replaced. The appointment of government officials came to be based on merit so as to ensure fairness and efficiency within the public service.
In the late twentieth century, where economic development has soared and governments have turned their concerns to social welfare, more and more information has been accrued by governments and public expenditures has increased enormously in proportion to the overall economy. Governments have amassed so much power that it is currently difficult for people to have any control or say over public activities. Democracy is said to now exist in name only. For the purpose of restoring a level of control over public administration to the people, many countries have introduced systems such as information disclosure, ombudsman and referendums as a means of complementing their parliamentary cabinet or presidential system. Public employees must nowadays perceive their role as a service to the entire community. They must consider the public as partners in government administration and actively seek to open the door to further collaboration.
