The third emerging (or perhaps re-emerging) role of government focuses on
democratic and social criteria. This view suggests that the public interest is paramount
and that the public interest in the result of a dialogue about mutual or overlapping
interests. It sees the role of government as brokering interests among citizens and other
groups so as to create shared values. This might mean, for example, building coalitions
of public, private, and nonprofit agencies to meet mutually agreed upon needs. The
approach to accountability reflected in this approach suggests that public servants must
attend to law, community values, political norms, professional standards and citizen
interests. The school of public administration theory and practice that we associate with
this approach we have called the New Public Service.