Lecture 5 (-20-) 1

Lecture 4: Civil Service in China

Lecture 5 (-20-) 2

An in-class survey:

Is civil service a prestigious occupation in your country?

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Civil service: a hot occupation in China

Competition in central government recruitmentApplicants Recruits Recruitment rate Top ratio

2011 1,415,138 16,205 1.1% 4,896:1

2010 1,401,845 15,526 1.1% 4,723:1

2009 800,000 13,566 1.7% 3,592:1

2008 640,000 13,977 2.2% 4,407:1

2007 535,574 12,724 2.4% 2,014:1

2006 365,000 10,282 2.8% 322:1

2005 310,656 8,400 2.7% Na

2004 181,488 7,900 4.4% Na

Lecture 5 (-20-) 4

Why is a governmental position

so attractive in China?

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Lecture 5 (-20-) 6

What do we expect from civil servants?

They implement law and regulations faithfully, equally, and strictly. They not just abide by law, but abide by rule of law

They deliver services efficiently, effectively, and economically.

They are responsive to citizens demands. They are accountable to the citizens for their decisions and performance.

In a word, they are expected to deliver good governance.

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Fundamental issues of civil service

A balance between inducement and contribution Individual level

A balance between discretion/decentralization and control/centralization Individual and organizational level

A balance between self-sufficiency and interdependence (this is also about functional areas of governments) Organizational and institutional level

A balance between macro-values Institutional level

Lecture 5 (-20-) 8

Three models to organize civil service

1. The cadre personnel management Typically represented by China in its 1950s-1970s

2. The Weberian bureaucracy Typically represented by the Prussian bureaucracy in

late 19th century 3. The New Public Management (NPM)

Typically represented by the bureaucracies of the US, and some other Anglo-Saxon countries after the NPM movement in the 1980s

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People’s Republic of China (Between 1949 and 1978) Cadre personnel management was under integrated political-administrative

system Recruitments were made by the Party, and were based on:

Family background: from working classes (Peasants, industrial workers, soldiers, and students)

Demonstrated political loyalty and activeness Instrumental and technical capacity (technocrat tradition)

Promotion was based on a nonmenklatura system Operation of bureaucracy was driven by politics

Party set goals, supervised the daily work, and evaluate performance. A revolutionary bureaucracy.

Highly centralized and order-driven bureaucracy Upward accountability and the planned system

Cadres were responsible for/monopolous of various functions.

Cadre personnel management

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The Weberian bureaucracy Max Weber, "Bureaucracy," in Gerth and Mills, eds.,

From Max Weber:  Essays in Sociology (New York:  Oxford University Press, 1946).

Weber has the widely accepted generalization of the characteristics of bureaucracy, based on the Prussian practice. This was also highly praised by Woodrow Wilson in this 1887

paper, “the study of administration”. Fundamental, the Weberian bureaucracy is a system

driven by instrumental rationality, namely, focusing on the maximization of efficiency.

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Characteristics of Weberian bureaucracy (1) Bureaucrats are politically neutral in fulfilling their missions.

They are not politicians. They implement policies. Bureaucrats have only managerial accountability.

The Administrative Evil: Technical rationality, professionalism, or compliance with orders, may be used to serve bad purposes.

The system is hierarchically designed, whose coordination is based on: 1) Top-down authority 2) Division of labor based on specialization

A merit system is established for recruitment and promotion Examinations based on administrative capacity Professionalism is the key competence.

Lecture 4 (-20-) 12

A separation between public life and private life The office is split from the person who assumes it. Bureaucrats are forbidden to use the powers for personal benefits.

A document-driven system Rigorous compliance with laws, policies, and regulations is of

fundamental importance. Impartial and impersonal administration is emphasized.

Citizens are inclined to be treated as cases. Standardization, rationalization and efficiency

Compensation Decent compensation. Safe and good pension. Stable employment. Relatively high social esteem.

Characteristics of Weberian bureaucracy (2)