Public refers to a process of administering policies and government affairs in the public sector. Public administration is not profit-based, hence its duty has been to provide services to people. So, public administrators help in policy formulation, monitoring, and controlling the economy and work in different sections of the economy. Public administrators work mostly in government agencies, which shows the importance of public administration in Democracy. Woodrow Wilson defined public administration been a systematic process that involves the execution of public affairs.
There’s a close correlation between providing quality public services through public administration and democracy. The public sector works together, and shares processes, systems, and procedures with the administration to become a valuable government to the people. Even though administration and management are important to the functioning of the organization. Woodrow Wilson proposed a distinction between politics and administration through a principle commonly known as politics dichotomy.
Importance of Public Administration in Democracy
Role of Public Administration in Democracy includes the enhancement of government values, protection of citizens, service delivery, strengthening bureaucratic structures, advising government, and policymaking. Below is the importance of public administration in Democracy, the roles, responsibilities, and duties it plays in a democracy, including the essential well-being of society.
1. Enhances Government Values
Public administration helps with the established strong key values of public institutions. Policy formulations, help in intensifying levels of expected values and responses from people. Public administration continues to elevate the values of any government to ensure in any democratic state, key components and values, which include rule of law, respect for human rights, protection of citizens, free and fair elections, etc. are been followed.
2. Protection of Citizens
Democracy requires citizens to be protected from any harm, they have good food, shelter, and basic human needs. Public administrators through different branches of government ensure people get their required necessities for human development. Human protection be it from political violence or violation of human rights is cardinal to the warfare of any person.
3. Service Delivery
Public administration contributes to the well-being of society and development by efficiently making services available to people. In cases of any disaster, people might need new homes, relocation, medication, etc. Through public choice theory, administrators are motivated by the need to save and compassion and this can be seen in services provided to society. Public administrators deliver these to people through policies and aid coming from foreign organizations.
4. Strengthens Bureaucracy
There is a need for political legitimacy in government entities. Any government machinery must be separated from the administration and policy-making branches, in order to effectively promote transparency and accountability. Public administrators enhance the purpose of public service by operating in bureaucratic systems which promote unique principles.
Bureaucratic systems depend on public administration in order to quickly respond to the needs of people, practice professionalism, and repair and strengthen public values. Public administration especially in management works together with bureaucracy to ensure the role of human resource promotes recruitment on merit, division of labor, accountability, uniform rules, responsibility, and chain of command. These are elements of a bureaucratic organizational structure.
5. Advising Government
Public administrations play advisory roles to the government on policies and adjustments. In most countries, the government is elected by the people through general elections. But the accountability gets effectively implemented by public administrators, who guide government officials on the needs of the people and health policies.
6. Policy Formulation
Public administration’s important role in society and democracy today has been that of formulating sound policies. Administrators do not only make policies but monitor them while strategizing and responding to feedback from people and making necessary adjustments. Policies formulated can be legal, and economic-based to curb an economic downturn such as inflation and monetary policies to boost local currencies.
7. Promotes Rule of Law
Rule of refers to an ideology that promotes equality. Any person must be treated the same by law. Public administrators make laws that are universal and do not favor any or promote favoritism. These rules promote a healthy economy, equal opportunities, reduce nepotism in society and improve people’s lives because an important aspect for every person is the right to be treated no different from others.
8. Efficiency
Efficiency refers to the process of avoiding the wastage of material and resources. The importance of public administration in Democracy is to ensure policies available promote conservation money, and decisions are made within the proposed budget capacity. Public administration reduces time in doing something through decentralization and breaking down of tasks as proposed through new public management (NPM). In a more general sense, elements of new public management increase the ability to do things well, successfully, and without waste. “Efficiency is thus not a goal in
9. Accountability
Accountability gets enhanced through public administration in democracy. Administrators play an important role in terms of promoting good ethics and governance to ensure people are treated as expected. Government is answerable and liable for the execution of what people need so many things, such as policies, economic status, employment, infrastructure, and environmental management. That’s the reason people desire democracy due to the fact, that despite being machinery it can be held accountable if does not promote good governance.
10. Professionalism
Democratic structures and institutions require professionalism and people working to be able to uphold professional ethos, traits, and behavior. Democracy requires equality, fairness, and people to be treated well therefore, the importance of public administration in democracy is to improve the capacity of government machinery through advanced professional activity among employees.
Conclusion:
Woodrow Wilson defined public administration as a process that involves the execution of public affairs, policies, and law. Therefore, the importance of public administration in democracy is to Enhance government values, ensure the protection of citizens, Strengthen bureaucracy, Advise government, Policy formulation, and Promote rule of law, Efficiency, Accountability, and Professionalism.