Attitude

Model Answer

Introduction

Public servants play a crucial role in shaping public administration, influencing the effectiveness, responsiveness, and accountability of government operations. Two contrasting attitudes observed among public servants are the bureaucratic attitude and the democratic attitude.

Body

Bureaucratic Attitude

The bureaucratic attitude is characterized by strict adherence to rules and regulations, emphasizing hierarchy and formal procedures. This approach ensures consistency, predictability, and impartiality in decision-making, which can help mitigate personal biases (Weber, 1946). However, it also leads to rigidity, making it difficult to adapt to changing circumstances. For example, bureaucratic processes can slow down responses to urgent public needs, resulting in frustration among citizens.

Democratic Attitude

In contrast, the democratic attitude focuses on public service and responsiveness to citizens’ needs. It fosters innovation and creativity in problem-solving, allowing public servants to engage actively with the community (Dahl, 1989). While this attitude promotes a more adaptable and participatory governance style, it can also lead to a lack of accountability and a tendency toward populism, where decisions are made to please the majority rather than adhere to objective criteria.

Achieving Balance

A balanced approach that incorporates elements of both attitudes can significantly enhance public administration. Training public servants in both bureaucratic and democratic frameworks enables them to recognize when to follow established procedures and when to innovate (Kettl, 2015). Furthermore, creating an enabling environment that encourages citizen participation and feedback can help ensure that policies are both responsive and consistent.

Conclusion

By combining the merits of bureaucratic and democratic attitudes, public administration can better serve the community while maintaining the essential qualities of consistency and impartiality. Achieving this balance requires ongoing training, accountability, and an environment that fosters both innovation and adherence to procedures.