Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gvvz8 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T00:11:57.012Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

4 - Political Patronage, Civil Service Politicization, and the Ordeals of Career Civil Servants

Insights from Bangladesh

from Part I - One-Party Dominated Systems

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 October 2023

By
Mohammad Mizanur Rahman
Edited by
B. Guy Peters ,
Colin Knox  and
Byeong Seob Kim
B. Guy Peters
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh
Colin Knox
Affiliation:
Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan
Byeong Seob Kim
Affiliation:
Seoul National University
Get access

Summary

The chapter deals with three distinct yet interrelated public administration issues in the context of Bangladesh: patronage, civil service politicization, and the ordeals of politicization on individual civil servants. The patronage and politicization are deep-rooted in the governance and political trajectory of the country. Most key actors, politicians, bureaucracy, and business elites, are the beneficiaries of this politicized and patronage system. This chapter argues that the account of professional civil servants ordeal can contribute to the existing literature on public administration. The most perturbing issue is that the current governance trajectory in Bangladesh seeks to continually benefit from this politicized bureaucracy by establishing a monopoly over it. Therefore, it does not seem that the situation will change soon. However, as we know, nothing can stay static; thus, the silver line may emerge from the dialogues between stakeholders who want to see improved governance and professionalism in the bureaucracy. The author of this paper looks to the conscientious politicians, public opinion builders, and professional civil servants to break this vicious cycle.

Keywords

Political patronagecivil service politicizationordealsBangladeshmeritocracyprofessional civil service
Type
Chapter
Information
Political Patronage in Asian Bureaucracies , pp. 69 - 96
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Almendares, N. (2011). Politicization of Bureaucracy. SAGE International Encyclopedia of Political Science (Bertrand Badie, et al. eds.), 2011. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2641351Google Scholar
Appiah, D. & Abdulai, A.-G. (2017). Politicization of Bureaucracy. In Farazmand, A. (Ed.), Global Encyclopaedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer International Publishing. doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_682-1Google Scholar
Baimenov, A.M. (2015). Meritocracy and Professional Ethics as Key Factors for Civil Service Effectiveness. International Journal of Civil Service Reform and Practice, 5: 80–84.Google Scholar
Bermeo, N. (2016). On Democratic Backsliding. Journal of Democracy, 27(1): 5–19.Google Scholar
Bersch, K. et al. (2017). State Capacity, Bureaucratic Politicization, and Corruption in the Brazilian State. Governance, 30(1): 105–124.Google Scholar
Bertelsmann Stiftung. (2020). Bertelsmann Stiftung’s Transformation Index (BTI): 2020 country report: Bangladesh.Google Scholar
Blair, H. (2020). The Bangladesh Paradox. Journal of Democracy, 31(4): 138–150.Google Scholar
Boräng, F. (2017). Cooking the books: Bureaucratic Politicization and Policy knowledge. Governance. doi:10.1111/gove.12283.Google Scholar
Cingolani, L. (2015). Minding Weber More than Ever? The Impacts of State Capacity and Bureaucratic Autonomy on Development Goals. World Development, 72: 191–207.Google Scholar
Clark, H. (2015). Achieving the Post-2015 Sustainable Development Agenda-the Role of the Public Service. Available at: www.ethiopiaprobserver.com/helen-clark-achieving-the-post-2015-sustainable-development-agenda-the-role-of-the-public-service/Google Scholar
Cooper, C.A. (2020). Politicization of the Bureaucracy Across and within Administrative Traditions. International Journal of Public Administration. doi:10.1080/01900692.2020.1739074Google Scholar
Evans, P. (1995). Embedded Autonomy: States and Industrial Transformation. Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Evans, P. & Rauch, J. E. (1999). Bureaucracy and Growth: A Cross-national Analysis of the Effects of “Weberian” State Structures on Economic Growth. American Sociological Review, 64(5): 748–765.Google Scholar
Harvey, C.J. & Mukherjee, P. (2018). Methods of Election Manipulation and the Likelihood of Post-Election Protest. Government and Opposition: 1–23. doi:10.1017/gov.2018.38CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hassan, M. (2013). Political settlement dynamics in a limited-access order: The case of Bangladesh. ESID working paper no. 23.Google Scholar
Hassan, M. et al. (2020). Political economy of private bank governance in Bangladesh. Bangladesh Institutional Diagnostic Working Paper 20/BDID (06). Economic Development & Institutions, Oxford Policy Management.Google Scholar
Hasan, M. & Evertsen, K.F. (2021). Bangladesh at 50: Development without democracy? Available at: https://devpolicy.org/bangladesh-at-50-development-without-democracy-20210224/Google Scholar
Hassan, M. & Raihan, S. (2017). Deals and Development: The Political Dynamics of Growth Episodes. In Pritchett, L., Sen, K. & Werker, E. (Eds.), Deals and Development: The Political Dynamics of Growth Episodes (pp. 96–128). Oxford University Press.Google Scholar
Hossain, A.A. (2020). Anatomy of Creeping Authoritarianism in Bangladesh: A Historical Analysis of some Events that Shaped the Present State of Bangladesh’s Culture and Politics. Asian Journal of Political Science, 28(1): 13–31.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huber, J.D. & Ting, M.M. (2021). Civil Service and Patronage in Bureaucracies. The Journal of Politics, 83(3): 902–916.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hyden, G. et al. (2003). The bureaucracy and governance in 16 developing countries. World governance survey discussion paper 7: Overseas Development Institute.Google Scholar
Islam, M.M. (2013). The Toxic Politics of Bangladesh: A Bipolar Competitive Neopatrimonial State? Asian Journal of Political Science, 21(2): 148–168.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Johnson, C. (1982). MITI and the Japanese Miracle: The Growth of Industrial Policy, 1925–1975. Stanford University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Khan, A.A. (2015). Gresham’s Law and Beyond: An Analysis of the Bangladesh Bureaucracy. University Press Limited.Google Scholar
Khan, M. (2017). Anti-corruption in Bangladesh: A political settlements analysis. Anti-Corruption Evidence (ACE) Working Paper: 003.Google Scholar
Khan, M.M. (2013). History and Context of Public Administration in Bangladesh. In Sabharwal, M. Berman, , E.M. (Eds.), Public Administration in South Asia: India, Bangladesh and Pakistan (pp. 713–732). CRC Press. 887.Google Scholar
Kopecký, P. (2011). Political Competition and Party Patronage: Public Appointments in Ghana and South Africa. Political Studies, 59: 713–732.Google Scholar
Kopecky, P. et al. (2016). Party Patronage in Contemporary Democracies: Results from an Expert Survey in 22 Countries from Five Regions. European Journal of Political Research, 55: 416–431.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Larraburu, C.R.R., Panizza, F. & Peters, B.G. (2018). Roles, trust and skills: A typology of patronage appointments. Public Administration. doi:10.1111/padm.12560Google Scholar
Lee, C.K. (2018). The politicization of senior civil service in Korea: A human resource management perspective. Asian Education and Development Studies, https://doi.org/10.1108/AEDS-11-2017-0114CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mahmud, W. (2020). Socio-economic progress with poor governance: How are Amartya Sen’s thoughts relevant for contemporary Bangladesh? Indian Journal of Human Development: 1–13. doi:10.1177/0973703020968475Google Scholar
Maitrot, M. & Jackman, D. (2020). The 2018 Bangladeshi election. ESID working paper 132.Google Scholar
Matheson, A. et al. (2007). Study on the political involvement in senior staffing and on the delineation of responsibilities between ministers and senior civil servants. OECD Working Papers on Public Governance, 2007/6, OECD Publishing. doi:10.1787/136274825752CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McCourt, W. (2000). Public appointments: From patronage to merit. Working Paper No. 9. Institute for Development Policy and Management, University of Manchester.Google Scholar
McCourt, W. (2007). The merit system and integrity in the public service. Paper No. 20. IDPM, University of Manchester.Google Scholar
McKinsey Global Institute. (2018). Outperformers: High-growth Emerging Economies and the Companies That Propel Them. McKinsey Global Institute.Google Scholar
Meyer-Sahling, J.-H. et al. (2018). Civil service management and corruption: What we know and what we don’t: 1–10. doi:10.1111/padm.12404Google Scholar
Meyer-Sahling, J.-H. et al. (2018a). Civil Service Management in Developing Countries: What Works? Evidence from a Survey with 23,000 Civil Servants in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America, Report Prepared for the UK Department for International Development. The University of Nottingham.Google Scholar
Meyer-Sahling, J.-H. et al. (2019). Civil Service Management in Bangladesh: Evidence from a Survey of more than 1,000 Civil Servants- Report Prepared Under British Academy – UK Department for International Development Anti-Corruption Evidence Programme. The University of Nottingham. http://christianschuster.net/2019.03.10.%20Bangladesh%20FOR%20PUBLICATION.pdfGoogle Scholar
Moniruzzaman, Md. (2019). Electoral Degitimacy Preventive Representation and Regularization of Authoritarian Democracy in Bangladesh. In Ryan, R.M. (Ed.), Elections: A Global Perspective. IntechOpen Limited, UK. Available at: www.intechopen.com/books/elections-a-global-perspectiveGoogle Scholar
Mostofa, S.M.D & Subedi, D.B. (2020). Rise of competitive authoritarianism in Bangladesh. Politics and Religion: 1–29. doi:10.1017/S1755048320000401Google Scholar
Mueller, H. (2015). Insulation or Patronage: Political Institutions and Bureaucratic Efficiency. BE Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy, 15(3): 961–996.Google Scholar
Nistotskaya, M. & Cingolani, L. (2016). Bureaucratic Structure, Regulatory Quality and Entrepreneurship in a Comparative Perspective: Cross-sectional and Panel Data Evidence. Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory, 26(3): 519–534.Google Scholar
OECD. (2019). OECD recommendation on public service leadership and capability. OECD.Google Scholar
OECD. (2020). Civil service capacities in the SDG era. OECD. Available at: www.oecd.org/gov/pcsd/civil-service-capacities-in-the-sdg-era.pdfCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Osman, F.A. (2010). Bangladesh Politics: Confrontation, Monopoly and Crisis in Governance. Asian Journal of Political Science, 18(3): 310–333.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Panizza, F., Conrado Ricardo Ramos Larraburu, C. R. R. & Scherlis, G. (2018). Unpacking Patronage: The Politics of Patronage Appointments in Argentina’s and Uruguay’s Central Public Administrations. Journal of Politics in Latin America, 10(3): 59–98.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peters, B. G. (2023). Patronage in Asian political Systems: A Framework for Research. In Peters, B.G. Kim, B., & Knox, C. (Eds). Political Patronage in Asian Public Administration. Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Peters, B.G. & Pierre, J. (2004). Politicization of the Civil Service in Comparative Perspective: The Quest for Control. Routledge.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peters, B.G. (2013). Politicisation: What Is It and Why Should We Care? In Neuhold, C. et al. (Eds). Civil Servants and Politics: A Delicate Balance (pp. 12–24). Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Quaresima, F. (2019). Patronage appointments between politics and public governance: A review. MPRA Paper No. 94650. Available at: https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/94650/Google Scholar
Quibria, M.G. (2019). Bangladesh’s Road to Long-term Economic Prosperity: Risks and Challenges. Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Rahman, M.M. (2018.) Development Agenda and Donor Influence in South Asia: Bangladesh’s Experiences in the PRSP Regime. Routledge.Google Scholar
Rahman, M.M. & Quadir, F. (2018). The Civil Service’s “Fast Food Approach” to Development Policymaking in Bangladesh: Critique and Agenda for Reform. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Administration, 40(3): 159–174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raihan & Bourguignon. (2020). An institutional diagnostic of Bangladesh: Introduction. Bangladesh Institutional Diagnostic Working Paper 20/BDID (01). Economic Development & Institutions, Oxford Policy Management.Google Scholar
Riaz, A. (2019). Voting in a Hybrid Regime: Explaining the 2018 Bangladeshi Election. Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Riaz, A. (2020): The pathway of democratic backsliding in Bangladesh. Democratization. doi:10.1080/13510347.2020.1818069Google Scholar
Riaz, A. & Parvez, S. (2021). Anatomy of a rigged election in a hybrid regime: The lessons from Bangladesh. Democratization. doi:10.1080/13510347.2020.1867110Google Scholar
Rouban, L. (2015). Political-administrative Relations: Evolving Models of Politicization. In Meer, F.M. van der et al. (Eds). Comparative Civil Service Systems in the Twenty-first Century (pp. 317–333). Palgrave Macmillan.Google Scholar
Sarker, A.E. & Zafarullah, H. (2019). Political Settlements and Bureaucratic Reforms: An Exploratory Analysis Focusing on Bangladesh. Journal of Asian and African Studies: 1–19. doi:10.1177/0021909619871584Google Scholar
Staronova, K. & Rybář, M. (2020). Personal or Party Roots of Civil Service Patronage? Ministerial Change Effects on the Appointments of Top Civil Servants. Administration & Society, 1–29.Google Scholar
UNDP. (2013). Human Development Report 2013– the Rise of the South: Human Progress in a Diverse World. UNDP.Google Scholar
UNDP GCPSE. (2015). The SDGs and new public passion: What really motivates the civil service? UNDP GCPSE.Google Scholar
UNDP GCPSE. (2018). Public service 2030: Making the sustainable development goals happen. UNDP GCPSE.Google Scholar
UN CEPA. (2019). 2019 HLPF review of SDG implementation: SDG 16 – Promoting peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, providing access to justice for all, and building effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels. Background note. Available at: https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/content/documents/23672BN_SDG16_LV.pdfGoogle Scholar
Wasif, F. (2020). Ghosts of ‘Begumpara’ and the future of Bangladesh. Available at: https://en.prothomalo.com/opinion/op-ed/ghosts-of-begumpara-and-the-future-of-bangladeshGoogle Scholar
World Bank. (1993). East Asian miracle: Economic growth and public policy. World Bank.Google Scholar
World Bank. (1997). World Development Report 1997: The state in a changing world. World Bank.Google Scholar
World Bank. (2008). The growth report: Strategies for sustained growth and inclusive development. World Bank.Google Scholar
Xu, G. (2017). The costs of patronage: Evidence from the British Empire. S-89333-CCN-1, International Growth Centre (IGC).Google Scholar
Zafarullah, H. & Rahman, R. (2008). The Impaired State: Assessing State Capacity and Governance in Bangladesh. International Journal of Public Sector Management, 21(7): 739–752.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×