PUBLIC OFFICIALS
History of public official‘s status in Europe. Traditional models.
Lecture #2

¢First specific regulation of public official‘s status appeared in 18th century in Prussia and
affected whole Europe. ¢This regulation came from existing development, based on loyal relationship
of public officials to monarch and superior, privileged relationship to common people. ¢Public
service in this conception means whole-life  specific, career work in public administration, called
career system.
ORIGIN OF PUBLIC OFFICIAL‘S STATUS
EUROPE

¢Labor law relationships between officials and their employers have public law nature.
CAREER SYSTEM


CAREER SYSTEM



¢In USA, with different historical experience, was no need to get over the patrimonial relationship
between monarch and public officials.
¢Vice versa, there was rather attempt to obtain liberty and that meant prevent wanton bureaucracy
¢This development led to so called merit system, which is typical for its similarity with human
resources management in private sector
¢
ORIGIN OF PUBLIC OFFICIALS‘ STATUS
USA

¢Merit system is based on catalog of service positions with its detailed description. Free
administrative positions could be filled by people from both private and public sector.
MERIT SYSTEM

¢Main principles of modern public services comes from Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the
Citizen, which states that:
—All citizens, being equal in the eyes of the law, are equally eligible to all dignities and to all
public positions and occupations, according to their abilities, and without distinction except that
of their virtues and talents.‘‘
—Society has the right to require of every public agent an account of his administration.
¢Third main principle states that public officials should by protected from wanton political power.
PRESENT PUBLIC SERVICE

¢Neither the career or merit system doesn‘t exist in these days in their original form. They have
been influenced by each other. ¢Rationality and legitimacy of modern public administration is based
on professional and impartial service to public. ¢Max Weber saw public administration as work
performed by impartial professional personnel, according to related rules in centralized
hierarchical system.
PRESENT PUBLIC SERVICE

¢New conception of administrative personnel developed in 70s of 20th century in USA as a ‚‚New
public management‘‘ and spreaded to Australia, New Zealand, Netherland, northern European countries
etc. ¢Main goal of this conception is to achieve better effectivity and quality of public
administration. ¢New public management is typical by application of  managerial processes and more
liberal personal policy.
¢
NEW PUBLIC MANAGEMENT