EXTRA-Relationship of ministers and civil servants

Question 1

Who has developed 4 models of the relationship between minsters and civil servants?

Answer 1

Kevin Theakston 1999

Question 2

What are Kevin Theakstons 1999’s 4 models?

Answer 2

• The traditional, public administration model
• The adversarial model
• The Whitehall Community Model
• The public choice model

Question 3

Briefly what is the traditional, public administration model?

Answer 3

this is the idea that ministers decide issues in the light of the advice they are given by their civil servants

Question 4

What is the catchphrase under the traditional public administration model?

Answer 4

civi servants advise, ministers decide

Question 5

Under the traditional, public administration model, what role do officials have?

Answer 5

they play a passive, neutral role loyally setting out to serve their ministers wishes and implement decisions made

Question 6

What is the traditional public administration model reinforced by?

Answer 6

the convention of individual ministerial responsibility

Question 7

Under the traditional public administration model, who takes blame?

Answer 7

the minster

Question 8

Briefly, what is the adversarial model?

Answer 8

this has been adopted by critics on the Left and concentrates on the social background and attitudes of powerful civil servants who use their establishment connections and their files to frustrate left wing ministers

Question 9

Under the adversarial model, why would the established officials use their connections to frustrate left wing ministers?

Answer 9

as left wing ministers usually want to change the status quo

Question 10

What destine adversarial model see?

Answer 10

a power struggle based on the separate agendas of ministers and their officials

Question 11

How might elected politicians (ministers) suffer under the adversarial model?

Answer 11

as they are frustrated by a departmental view

Question 12

In what country was the Whitehall Community model first developed?

Answer 12

in the US

Question 13

Briefly what is the Whitehall Community model?

Answer 13

this sees the minister/official relationship as being more of an alliance of mutual interest.

Question 14

Under which model to civil servants favour strong rather than weak ministers?

Answer 14

the Whitehall Community model

Question 15

Under the Whitehall Community model, why do officials favour strong rather than weak ministers?

Answer 15

as they recognise that within a department they have common interests with the elected politicians

Question 16

Under the Whitehall Community model how do the civil servants and ministers both offer a crucial role in the department?

Answer 16

civil servants have expertise and links to organised group interests while ministers contribute their political judgment and ideological commitment in arguing the departmental case with their Cabinet colleagues

Question 17

What kind of relationship do ministers and civil servants have under the Whitehall Community model?

Answer 17

a cooperative rather than a conflictual relationship

Question 18

Briefly, what is the public choice model?

Answer 18

this is apart of the general New Right critique of public sector provision and suggests that bureaucrats tend towards inefficiency and needless growth based on empire building.

Question 19

Under the public choice model, what are civil servants perceived as having a vested interest in?

Answer 19

in the expansion of public services and ministers connive with them in support of this agenda

Question 20

What does it mean by “Ministers decide, civil servants advise”?

Answer 20

They are there to serve any government, offering advice and suggestions but allowing minsters to make the decisions

Question 21

What does it mean by ministers are transient?(short time)

Answer 21

They come and go, perhaps serving for a full administration, but most usually after 2 years

Question 22

What is an advantage for officials from working in the department for a long time?

Answer 22

Their considerable expertise means that they have become familiar with the realistic image of policy choices available.

Question 23

What would a good period in office allow a minister?

Answer 23

the ability to shape rather than preside over departmental policy

Question 24

From 1945-2004 how many ministers of industry have there been and how many civil servant heads have there been?

Answer 24

33

12

Question 25

What do some departments such as Industry and education serve as for politicians on their way up?

Answer 25

as staging posts

Question 26

What does it mean by ‘mandarin power’ as a factor on the relationship between ministers and civil servants?

Answer 26

mandarins being the very senior civil officials who have close and regular contact with ministers

Question 27

What does ‘mandarin power’ suggest about the power of civil servants in a department?

Answer 27

that they exert a powerful influence over what happens in a department especially over policies that emerge

Question 28

What did Margret Thatcher see mandarins as?

Answer 28

as a cautious group hostile to necessary innovation

Question 29

Why is the wariness about the character and outlook of mandarins increased over recent years?

Answer 29

due to their oxbridge background and are seen to be the best gentlemens clubs in London