PSCI 3362 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Spoils System, Fire People, Meritocracy
9 Feb 2016
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While we focus on the federal in this course, similar principles apply at state level. Created by the chief executive to carry out the laws. Difference between what the principal wants and what the agent does. Leader of each department is called a secretary, aside from justice who is attorney general. However, the amount of politicization that is good is questionable. Doesn"t just apply to executive or congress controlling bureaucracy. Workers are agents, doing actions for the principal. Principal delegates power to an agent to fulfill some purpose. The agent doesn"t always do exactly what the principal wants. Might not even know exactly what the principal wants. Agent is on the ground, principal might not know what"s really happening. 1789, first of these appointments under the new constitution. Bad because potential to implement policies the president and congress doesn"t like. Wanted to see rotation in office, didn"t want people to stay for too long.
