Journal Article

Power, Expertise and the “Tecnico”: Suggestions from a Mexican Case Study

Grindle, Merilee S.

1977

Overview

Excoriation of public employees has a long tradition in literature which describes the political systems of Latin America. Inefficiency, corruption, partisanship, conservatism, lack of responsiveness to public demands, and vested interests have all been attributed to the personnel staffing the administrative agencies of government. Similarly, throughout Latin America, in spite of the large number of individuals who work for the government, public employees are frequently held in at least mild disapprobation, if not in open contempt. The official who is never in his office, who owes first allegiance to a personalistic politician, who is not permitted to delegate responsibilities, who becomes lost in a maze of paperwork and procedures when it suits his personal interests, and who ultimately demands a “tip” in order to carry out his legally assigned tasks is a stereotype of the Latin American bureaucrat which infuses much literary and popular opinion on the subject.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press,Southern Political Science Association,University of Texas Press in association with the Southern Political Science Association, etc
• Subject: Administrative agencies / Govern/Governing/Government/ Governmental/ Governments / Government bureaucracy / Latin American politics / Mexico/Mexican/Mexicans / Policy making / Political influence / Political parties / Politicians / Public administration / Support personnel / Technician/Technicians / University administration