The Federal Civil Service System and the Problem of Bureaucracy: The Economics and Politics of Institutional Change (National Bureau of Economic Research Series on Long-Term Factors in Economic Dev) [Paperback]

Ronald N. Johnson (Author), Gary D. Libecap (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0226401715 | ISBN-13: 978-0226401713 | Publication Date: November 15, 1994 | Edition: 1

The call to "reinvent government"—to reform the government bureaucracy of the United States—resonates as loudly from elected officials as from the public. Examining the political and economic forces that have shaped the American civil service system from its beginnings in 1883 through today, the authors of this volume explain why, despite attempts at an overhaul, significant change in the bureaucracy remains a formidable challenge.

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About the Author

Gary D. Libecap is the Donald Bren Distinguished Professor of Corporate Environmental Management and professor of economics at the University of California, Santa Barbara and a research associate of the NBER.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press; 1 edition (November 15, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226401715
• ISBN-13: 978-0226401713
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #639,613 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Libertarian Intellectual Plea for Returning to Political Patronage, December 29, 2005

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old Policy Prof "Aufwiegler" (Seattle, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Federal Civil Service System and the Problem of Bureaucracy: The Economics and Politics of Institutional Change (National Bureau of Economic Research Series on Long-Term Factors in Economic Dev) (Paperback)

Based on a surprisingly thorough review of the available literature, Johnson and Libecap make a plea for a return to political patronage as the primary means of insuring the "loyalty" of federal civil servants to elected officials. They observe however, that patronage maybe effective only for managing small governmental units. "...the problems of managing a large patronage labor force are too great, relative to any political benefits that might be obtained from abandoning a merit system." So, they don't say it, but the only way to implement their goal would be to break up the U.S. into small feudal fiefdoms where personal government could again be practiced.

However, this large order has proved no obstacle to the current (2005) Administration, which is busy corrupting the professional civil service in any way possible. Read the Washington Post daily, and the newsletters of PEER, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (www.peer.org).