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Wilson distinguishes three fundamental achievements in the formation of modern democratic governments: constitution, laws and public administration (Wilson, 1887, p. 487). He felt that there is an inordinate amount of time and effort being spent on the first two compared to the last one. New governments fall victim to the assumption that with the right laws set in place, the right structures and processes will follow suit for public administration. Unfortunately, this is not so as just like major changes in forms and laws of government, public administration has to change to with how society has reformed along with new governments.
Wilson envisions the administrative challenges of the US nation in looking after a rapidly growing large and diverse population. It is these challenges that call for a different treatment of public administration. The constant mission is how to implement laws through public services with “equity, with speed, and without friction” (Wilson, 1887, p. 483).
With its size of about 55 million (U.S. Population, n.d.) and with 38 independent states (The United States, n.d.) in a federal government in 1887, Wilson recognized the complexity of assuring a uniform level of performance in dispensing public services. Federal and state standards have to be collated and tracked for consistency to constitutional and legal guidelines. Regulations have to be constantly added and modified to accommodate changes in methods and technologies in infrastructure, trade and finance. Constant changes need to be managed by a recognized discipline such as public administration.
The US choice of a democratic government has created a more complex barometer for national governance in the form of public opinion which has a strong correlation with electoral results. Public administration is the system that interacts directly with the electorate and it should be designed to receive feedback for politicians to gauge the national level of satisfaction (Wilson, 1887, p.498). For example, a methodical survey can be made before an administrator will enforce a new regulation (Cutlip, 1964). Aside from collecting feedback, public administration can be the means to educate the masses so they can form more mature public opinion which in turn will lead to better legislation and public services eventually.
In conclusion, there are many tasks for public administration to perform in a complex political form of government such as a democracy in a large and diversified population such as the United States. It needs to be treated as a science and discipline for it to meet its challenges.
References
Cutlip, S. ed. (1964). Public Opinion and Public Administration. University of Alabama: The Bureau of Public Administration. Retrieved August 29, 2016 from https://pantherfile.uwm.edu/mordecai/public/McCamy/Administration%20&%20Public%20Opinion.pdf
The United States in the Order of Statehood. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2016 from http://www.senclewises.com/statehood.html
U.S. Population, 1790-2000: Always Growing. (n.d.). Retrieved August 29, 2016 from http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h980.html
Wilson, W. (1887). The Study of Administration. Political Science Quarterly, Vol. 56, No. 4 (Dec., 1941), pp. 481-506. Retrieved August 29, 2016 from http://www.jstor.org/stable/2143644
