Suchergebnisse

The Belgian politico-administrative relationship is known for its large ministerial cabinets who operate as interfaces between ministers & civil servants. According to Dierickx & Majersdorf (1994) ministerial cabinets are the central nodes in the Belgian policy-making networks, reducing the policy role of civil servants & shielding them from all relevant policy-making interactions. They found that pressure groups hardly ever turned to civil servants & stated that civil servants lived in an administrative beguinage. This article tests whether the conclusions of Dierickx & Majersdorf (1994) are still valid. Next, it seeks to explore the policy-making interactions of both actors in a more detailed way, since Dierickx & Majersdorf (1994) only measured the frequency of their contacts, not the direction, goal and/or content of the interactions. Based on a unique written survey-research among top civil servants & ministerial advisers, we discuss the role differences with regard to their interactions in four 'arenas.'. Adapted from the source document.

Interview data are drawn on to compare levels of political alienation among 206 German & 236 Belgian higher civil servants. Analysis shows that early academic & political socialization matters little, except for the ideological & general cultures. Belgians are less egalitarian, more materialistic, & more politically alienated, & their participation in policy formulation is lower. The high degree of technocratism among the Belgians, leading to disrespect for politicians, is yet to be considered. 17 Tables. Adapted from the source document.

Interview data identified 2 main ideological characteristics of 236 Belgian bureaucratic elites: (1) centrism (avoiding Right or Left extremes), especially on socioeconomic issues; & (2) inclination toward the center-Right. It is suggested that such centrism may be the result of intensive preoccupation with the recent Belgian federalization process. The profile of Left-oriented top bureaucrats suggests a less technocratic approach, less alienation from politics, & greater involvement in partisan politics. To change the centrist-technocratic character of Belgian civil service, a furthering of a more political style of administrative policy making is recommended. 13 Tables, 9 Graphs. Adapted from the source document.

International bureaucracy is a phenomenon peculiar to our time, but it is difficult to study: From the outside, studies remain superficial; from the inside, they can become biased. However, certain qualities of this bur'cy appear when we study the civil servants (CS's) of the various European states. Characteristic (1) is the diversity of the various groups of CS's. Each org acts independently; some CS's like those of the CECA, have legal status, while others are hired on a contractual basis. There is also diversity in treatment, in pensions, in conditions of service, & it is impossible to move from one org to another. Characteristic (2) is the uncertainty of the recruitment process: some subordinate positions & important posts are filled in advance; there is also direct recruitment at every level of employment with a consequent risk of cooptation. Furthermore, these civil servants must belong, in a predetermined proportion, to the countries of the various member nations, which of course creates difficulties of all kinds. Finally, it must be recognised that the role of this bur'cy is ill-defined. Psychol'ly, European CS's are in a difficult situation. They feel that they are uprooted, far from the country of their origin, and not part of an established hierarchical framework. Tr by J. A. Broussard from IPSA.