PA301 Please put into your own words!!!

1)Why is Max Weber’s characterization of bureaucracy considered the essential building block for
understanding the formal institutional structures of public administration?

A) Weber developed the most comprehensive, classic formulation of the characteristics of bureaucracy. He believed that civilization evolved from the primitive and mystical to the
rational and complex.  Weber defined three “ideal-types” of authority throughout history.  The earliest being the “Traditional” authority of primitive society, second being the “Charismatic” authority, and lastly the “Legal-rational” type of authority.  The legal-rational type of authority forms the basis for Weber’s concept of bureaucracy.  This type of authority vests power to the office, rather than the person that holds that office.  This form of bureaucracy holds a central role in controlling modern societies.  Much more efficient than the former, more totalitarian forms of authority.

2) Briefly explain the meaning of political power and administrative power?

A) Political power reinforced by an entity or group, and administrative power is reinforced by a
position/regulation.

3) Why is Woodrow Wilson described as the father of Public Administration in the US?

A) Woodrow Wilson was the driving
force behind the development of Social Security.  His efforts trail-blazed the development of
numerous assistance programs and instilled a collective realization that in
order to improve our society the less fortunate had to be assisted via subsidy.

4) Using ONE of the issues below, briefly explain why intergovernmental relations is so complex in the US:a) Illegal immigrationb) Homeland securityc) Educationd) Welfare…

A) Intergovernmental relations are so complex in the US for Homeland Security because it deals with so many different organizations.  So many of these organizations with different agendas and scopes of responsibility have to come together in order to accomplish a collective goal.