Administrative Culture and Civil Society

Abstract

This article explores the relationship between civil society and public administration. It is argued that the disjunction between reform movements in the two fields can be repaired by a focus on administrative culture. The role of administrative culture is explained through a comparative case study of the political response to official corruption involving organized crime in the United States and the Netherlands. In rejecting the American solution to the problem, the Dutch reflect an administrative culture that differs sharply from the control-oriented culture in American government. The conclusion proposes the adoption of civic engagement benchmarks in American public administration.