A Study of Administration
In November of 1886, Wilson published his article “The Study of Administration” which was one of the most influential works on public administration in the United States. Wilson had a strong belief that it is harder to run a constitution than to frame one (The Study of Administration). This is a powerful statement and the reason for this according to Wilson is that the field of Public Administration is made more complicated than it needs to be. Wilson attempted to explain public administration but also he tried to simplify it.
“Administration is the most obvious part of government; it is government in action; it is the executive, the operative, the most visible side of government, and is of course as old as government itself.” (The Study of Administration). Wilson obviously thinks quite highly of public administration but there is one part in that quote that really stands out as dealing with the president, “[…] it is the executive,”. This phrase right here helped to revolutionize the presidency, as we know it. Up until this point the president or the executive branch dealt with some parts of public administration while other parts were dealt with by the legislative. This however would lead to an attempt to bring efficiency into public administration and would greatly strengthen the presidency because powers would soon be moved into the hands of the executive branch. The reason for this is because it is far easier and more efficient to have one man in charge of these tasks than the larger bodies of congress. In the years following Wilson’s times in office you would begin to see a shift of power when dealing with public administration from the legislative to the executive. The founder’s fear towards a strong executive was beginning to fade in the United States and Wilson used this to help argue why it was imperative to begin the process of moving powers and responsibilities from the legislative to the executive.
One of the things that Wilson was arguing for was to make government affairs more business-like; to do this Wilson stated that government needed to draw on some of the other teachings of public administration such as works of Max Weber and Frederick Taylor. Wilson wanted to implement the whole top down effect that most business models strive on with a powerful executive on top that then trickles down to the street level employees. Wilson emphasized that public administration lay outside of politics. (The Study of Administration). In saying this Wilson also argued that not only should the executive be placed in charge but that also party loyalties should be left out of the issue of public administration. This meant that jobs should be issued on merit rather than through the spoils system. To him this is the only way that the country could function and after all Wilson was trying to prove himself wrong and show through his work that the constitution can be run successfully and efficiently.
Wilson’s work on public administration may have been one of his most influential works given to the American people, however it is not what he is best known for. Wilson was President during one of the most challenging times in United States History, the first World War, and his work during this time and after is what he will forever be known for. From the time we entered the war and his fourteen points, to his attempts to have the United States sign the Versailles Treaty and join the League of Nations, Woodrow Wilson was one of the most influential actors in World War I.