Public Administration Glossary of Terms
The following list of selected terms and concepts are commonly used in public administration and
finance1
ABILITY TO PAY: The principle of taxation that holds that the tax burden should be distributed
according to a person's wealth. It is based on the assumption that, as a person's income increases, the
person or corporation can and should contribute a larger percentage of income to support
government activities. The progressive income tax is based on the ability to pay principle.
ABSOLUTISM: A government with no limits to its power and under which the people have no
guaranteed or constitutional rights.
ABUSE: 1. The use of an existing authority for purposes that extend beyond or even contradict the
intentions of the grantors of that authority. 2. The furnishing of excessive services to beneficiaries of
government programs, violating program regulations, or performing improper practices, none of
which involves prosecutable fraud.
ACCESS: 1. The ability to gain the attention and to influence the decisions of key political agents.
Political party leaders, the heads of major interest groups, and those who make large campaign
contributions are typically said to have access. 2. Lobbying; getting information to key decision
makers at critical times.
ACCLAMATION: Overwhelming approval by voice vote.
ACCOUNTABILITY: A political principle according to which agencies or organizations, such as
those in government, are subject to some form of external control, causing them to give a general
accounting of and for their actions; an essential concept in democratic public administration.