Final answer:
The civil service is essential to policy implementation for its role in providing specialized knowledge and stability, reducing political influence, and enhancing job security and qualifications through a merit-based hiring system. These transformations in the civil service have resulted in a more effective and impartial public administration.
Step-by-step explanation:
The civil service is a critical element of policy implementation because it provides stability and expertise necessary to execute the policies set by elected officials.
Transitioning from the spoils system to a merit-based system through legislation like the Pendleton Act and subsequent reforms, such as the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, has reduced political influence, enhanced job security, and encouraged the establishment of qualifications for employment.
These changes have led to increased efficacy and specialization among civil servants, which is essential because elected and appointed officials often lack the specific skills and tools needed for detailed policy execution.The civil service is a critical element of policy implementation for several reasons.
First, it reduces the impact of politics on the civil service sector by making it illegal to fire or punish government workers for strictly political reasons.
Second, it raises the qualifications for civil service positions, ensuring that employees have the necessary skills and knowledge. Third, the United States Civil Service Commission (CSC) was created to enforce the law and maintain the distance between civil servants and political parties
Author Kenneth Ashworth highlights the distinction between the motivations of politicians and civil servants, which can result in challenges but also underscores the importance of civil servants being fully engaged in the processes they administer.
The shift toward a merit-based civil service, while creating internal motivations for bureaucrats, also emphasizes the objective of hiring individuals best suited for their roles, thereby benefiting the effectiveness and impartiality of public administration