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Their role in promoting democracy in the U.S.... More...
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Paper Abstract:
Their role in promoting democracy in the U.S. Developments in American political history. Role citizen plays in the community and the government. Implications for citizen participation in the role of public administrator. Obligations of public administrators, as both private citizens and civil servants. Need for balance between private life citizen and public administration needs.
Paper Introduction:
According to Cooper (1991), most people are more concerned with the rights included in their citizenship status than they are in the responsibilities attached to those rights. When a private citizen chooses to serve as a public administrator, such as a civil servant, however, he or she is more apt to run into ethical conflicts which may complicate how best to serve their organizations while also taking care of their own personal rights and responsibilities. This paper will analyze the role of the public administrator in encouraging and promoting direct democracy in the United States by first describing the developments in American political history that support such a role and then by discussing the implications of that role for citizen participation.
Developments in American Political History
Text of the Paper:
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It was this reasoning that determined the action of British subjectsto decide to cleave their alliance with Britain and begin their owncommunity called the United States. Cooper, T. This paper will analyze the role of thepublic administrator in encouraging and promoting direct democracy in theUnited States by first describing the developments in American politicalhistory that support such a role and then by discussing the implications ofthat role for citizen participation.Developments in American Political History Before the United States was established there was a debate as to therole a citizen played in the community and government. When a private citizen choosesto serve as a public administrator, such as a civil servant, however, he orshe is more apt to run into ethical conflicts which may complicate how bestto serve their organizations while also taking care of their own personalrights and responsibilities. When the private life of the administrator becomeslost in the organization, then the administrator loses track of thereference points that keeps their judgement objective in determining whichcoarse of action would be best to serve the common good. According to Cooper (1991), most people are more concerned with therights included in their citizenship status than they are in theresponsibilities attached to those rights. (1998). By consent of thecommunity and as representatives of the community, the government carriedout the responsibilities and obligations of the community (1991). Ethical citizenship, however, describes the active membership of aperson in a community, to help to uphold to goals and laws of the citizensof that community. (1991). It was the community, according to Locke, that determinedright of citizenship and the extent of the government. Responsible administrative actions are not always going to be clearcutin any case. The balance between private life citizen and publicadministration needs should help to provide checks and balances bydeveloping aware civil servants who are able to think through all possiblealternatives when faced with an ethical dilemma. Alternately, the mission statement and goals of the organizationshould also be such that any selfish impulse on the part of employees totake advantage of the system (and thus of the ordinary citizen) will bechecked (Cooper, 1998). Those who have been voted or appointed to serve inthose organizations thus have a dual duty of both administering to thecitizens and participating as citizens themselves (Cooper, 1998). References Cooper, T. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc. Taking the case of the civil servant again, he orshe may be using information gained at the agency for private ends, forexample. If the mission statement is such and the agency truly organizedaround serving the citizenry, then there is the chance that theorganizational culture and morale will influence this civil servant to bemore ethical. L. Those who framed the Constitutionthemselves believed in a more limited role on the part of the citizenry inthe administering of the government and decision making (Cooper, 1991).Since then, however, there has been continued debate as to the extent thenormal citizenry is to be involved in the government, various laws andstatutes amended and added so that more active participation is available(Cooper, 1991).Implications for Citizen Participation in theRole of Public Administrator Thus, although participation in government is often limited by choiceto casting a ballot at a poll place, there is the opportunity to becomemore involved in the community and political processes. As defined by Cooper, legal citizenship sets out the terms,rights, and obligations by which a person may be considered a citizen(1991). As Cooper pointsout, however, citizenship has both a legal and ethical responsibilities,which are made more complex when a citizen is also a public administrator(1998). Lockeasserted, however, that since all people are considered equal under God,all are equally capable of carrying out responsibilities for supporting thecommunity. Cooper(1998) contends that for the public administrator, such as the civilservant, there is both an ethical and legal duty to serve the organizationand its goals to the best of their ability (assuming the goals are in theservice of the needs of the state and the citizenry). The Responsible Administrator: An Approachto Ethics for the Administrative Role. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass Publishers. Reasonably then, it makes more sense to appoint people whorepresent the needs of the community to carry out those responsibilities(Cooper, 1991). An example ofthis may be seen in the dual duty of a civil servant, who not only may dothe paperwork for a government agency that supports the rights of citizens,but also needs to participate by being involved in his or her own communityso that he or she remains in touch with why that agency is in place.Private involvement in community will give the civil servant support shouldhe or she ever need to make a complex decision regarding a situation in theorganization which may seem unethical and need to be attended to in someway. As seen by Coke, acitizen was seen as someone who owed unquestionable allegiance to theruler, in return the ruler promised to protect the citizen. Fourth Edition. L. Hopefully, it may also influence a co-worker who may suspectsomething to feel confident in taking their concerns to the appropriatepeople in the agency. An Ethic of Citizenship for PublicAdministration. However, publicadministrators must also maintain their own participation in community lifeas private citizens. In the end, when theobligations of the private citizen are clearly in conflict with theorganizational demands, then the civil servant has an obligation andresponsibility to act on his conscience, as a duty to the common good ofthe citizenry, the greater community.
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