AN ASSESSMENT ON WOODROW WILSON AND POLITICS - ADMINISTRATION DICHOTOMY

Abstract

The aim of the study is to make an evaluation on the contributions, supports and criticism on the discipline of public administration and on the politics – administration dichotomy during the period of Woodrow Wilson’s The Study of Administration, published in 1887 and regarded as the beginning of administration studied as a separate discipline from politics and mainly America in spoils system afterwards. In this context, several studies that could be seen as fundamental concerning the politics – administration dichotomy were examined, and a detailed overview on the politics – administration dichotomy was presented. The essence of the thesis on the politics – administration dichotomy, how it emerged, its architecture, theoreticians that contributed to this dichotomy, its basic arguments and criticisms and opinions against the dichotomy were addressed in the study. The situation concerning the entire world was analyzed rather than focusing only on the United States (U.S.) or Turkey concerning the politics – administration dichotomy. As a conclusion, it can be noted that the discussion on analyzing administration as a separate discipline from politics is still ongoing with different content and methods, though not on the same similarities or the same discrepancies.