The history of the world can be viewed as the rise and fall of public administrative institutions Those ancient empires that rose and prevailed were those with better administrative institutions than their competitors, Brave soldiers have been plentiful in every society but they were ultimately wasted f not backed up by administrators who can feed and pay them. Marcus Tullius Cicero, the ancient Roman orator is usually credited with first saying that"the sinews of war are infinite money Rome, like Egypt, Persia, and other empires before it, conquered much of the ancient world(well at least that centered around the Mediterranean) because it had an organizational doctrine that made soldiers far more effective than competing forces--and because its legions were backed up by a system of supply based on regular if not equitable taxes. The Roman sophisticated administrative Empire only fell when its legions degenerated into corps of mercenaries and when its supply and tax bases were corrupted. Napoleon was wrong. Armies do not"march on their stomachs" as he said: th march on the proverbial backs of the tax collectors and on the roads built by administrators. Regular pay allows for discipline. Strict discipline is what makes a mob an army And a disciplined military, obedient to the leaders of the state, isa precondition for civilization. This is the classic chicken and egg problem. Which comes first-effective public administration or an effective military? The rise and fall ut the other, Early th ancient Rome and mad literally wore uniforms that paralleled military dress After all, the household servants of rulers traditionally wore livery. lt indicated that the wearer was not free but the servant of another Government administrators are still considered ser wants in this sense they are public servants because they, too, have accepted obligations that mean they are not completely free. Indeed, until early in the twentieth century many otherwise civilian public officials in Europe most notably diplomats- had prescribed uniforms rs tend to be inordinately admired and dispropor- Both vi inan tionately rewarded as risk takers. True, the specific risks and rewards are different but the phenom enon is the same. They both may have to put their careers, and sometimes significant parts of their anatomy for"the line" originally referred goal for their state or organ Notice This language as well, "on the line" to obtain a to the line of battle where faced enemy. military they line officers today are still those who perform the services for wh h the organizatio exists Thisis direct link between the Roman centurion and the fi chief hospital dir school principal Life line is still a daily struggle.