Social Political Theory

Introduction The field of public administration has been developed throughout decades. Various thinkers tried to identify the best structure and the role of public administration. Some of the most influential theorists are William F. Willoughby, Max Weber, Leonard D. White and Mary Parker Follett.Advertising We will write a custom critical writing sample on Social Political Theory specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Major Contributors to the Field William F. Willoughby is one of the most prominent theorists who contributed greatly to the development of public administration. He thought that public administration could address all issues related to the government (Shafritz Hyde, 2012). One of the most important contributions of the researcher is his work on budgetary reform. Willoughby believed that budgeting is crucial for proper development and functioning of the system. He focused on three aspects: the role of budgets in controll ing, the role of budgets in enhancing executive and legislative branches and the role budgets played in development of administrative efficiency (Shafritz Hyde, 2012). He also contributed greatly to the development of the Budget Office. It is needless to say that the contemporary budgeting system is based on the works of this thinker. Another influential thinker who had a profound impact on the development of public administration is the German sociologist Max Weber. Weber focused on a variety of aspects of the human society and considered the structure of public administration. The sociologist believed that bureaucracy was an indispensible part of effective government (Cox et al., 2010). Importantly, the thinker considered different states (from the ancient world along with European countries) and revealed major features of bureaucracy. The sociologist also noted that bureaucracies can have a negative impact if they do not develop properly (Shafritz Hyde, 2012). Weber’s th eories had a significant effect on the development of public administration as the sociologist outlined major peculiarities of effective bureaucracy. Apart from Weber, who focused on some particular aspects of public administration, there was another thinker who outlined the major aspects of public administration as a disciple. This thinker was Leonard D. White who provided specific objectives of the discipline. Hence, according to White public administration can be studied at different levels, the core variable of the study is management (not politics), it is both art and science, it is crucial to recognize it as a study which will be vital for the development of the government (Shafritz Hyde, 2012).Advertising Looking for critical writing on political sciences? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Admittedly, these are milestones within the field of public administration. Thus, it is possible to note that White contributed great ly to the process of recognition of public administration as a discipline and outlined the central points within the area. Unlike White, Mary Parker Follett focused on behavior of individuals within the system. She saw government as an organization where relationships between individuals were essential (Shafritz Hyde, 2012). The researcher was one of the first thinkers to focus on management within public administration. She stressed the importance of development of proper relationships between subordinates and seniors (Shafritz Hyde, 2012). Though she focused on quite specific areas, she made a significant contribution to the field as she revealed the value of proper management. Conclusion To sum up, it is possible to state that William F. Willoughby, Max Weber, Leonard D. White and Mary Parker Follett contributed greatly in the development of the public administration. The thinkers focused on macro and micro issues within the field and, thus, they addressed all major aspects of public administration. Reference List Cox, R.W., Buck, S.J., Morgan, B.N. (2010). Public administration in theory and practice. New York, NY: Longman Publishing Group. Shafritz, J.M., Hyde, A.C. (2012). Classics of public administration. Boston, MA: Cengage Learning. This critical writing on Social Political Theory was written and submitted by user Maya D. to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.