Defining the 'Public' in Public Administration

The Public and The Public Administrator

1.) Who / What is the Public in Public Administration?
This is an attempt at defining the term “public” in Public Administration based on my understanding of PA readings, lectures attended and, personal insights.

Wilson (1887) described the public in many words. To summarize, the public is either referred to as a tangible human in a community or intangible entity. The former would generally refer to the people of a particular geographic location, sovereign people, masters, authoritative critic, intelligent critics of government who are bold, alert and, inquisitive. Other terms used to depict the public would be the governed, a country, a society, the world. Wilson also described the public

There are two perspectives presented in the article namely, the individualist – economic core approach and the normative perspective. The first tells us that the publicness is necessary in the “production of goods and services becoming supportive to the needs of the people”. The second perspective tells us that the government must “provide structures that allow the community to identify itself as part of the community as a means of preserving and strengthening public interest”. The public is somehow referred to by Pesch and Wilson in the same manner attributing public to “needs” and “interest” of the people, both intangible and

Among the various historical Public Administration personalities, Wilson (1887) has presented the many facets of what and who a Public Administrator was and should be. He initially identified the Public Administrator as the absolute ruler like a king in a monarchy, a tyrant, despot, monopolist/s or oligarchs. When the absolute rulers were overtaken by “popular control”, the administrator would refer to the state, the sovereign people or popular sovereignty or popular rule. Governor was another term used to denote administrator, acting as a servant (civil servant) of the governed – great office of public trust. At this point, public opinion evolved just like a monarch but is comprised of many people / minds with different opinions. Wilson said, “wherever public opinion exists it must rule”.

I shall enumerate the many names / activities which were mentioned by Wilson in his article with reference to who and what a public administrator was/is. The Public Administrator is also known as:
“the technical official for state activities or executor of public law
The administrator should have and does have a will of his own in the choice of means for accomplishing his work. He is not and ought not to be a mere passive instrument.” an “administrative organizer – to fit administration with the conditions of clear cut responsibility