How is a bureaucrat chosen in your country?

[Hall]

We all must be knowing what I meant by bureaucrat, but let's make it clear anyways: A district is controlled by an elected leader called Mayor, while the same district also have a non-elected head called District Magistrate (or Collector in British colonies) but this non-elected head have a little less power than the elected one. Other examples of bureaucrats include: treasury officer, narcotics officer, police commissioner (or FBI director) etc.

By my research, I have found only India to be the country which choses it bureaucrats on merit-basis (they conduct exams and take the highest scorer for the post).

How is it in your country?

 

[fresh_42]

By my research, I have found only India to be the country which choses it bureaucrats on merit-basis (they conduct exams and take the highest scorer for the post).

Keep on searching! Or define "bureaucrat" properly. E.g. we elect mayors and community parliaments, but staff the administration with people who studied it. We don't even elect attorneys or judges and prefer competence over populism.

 

[Hall]

We don't even elect attorneys or judges and prefer competence over populism.

I thought everyone know that bureaucrats belong to executive tier.

 

[Vanadium 50]

We all must be knowing what I meant by bureaucrat

I don't think we do. Or you are not using that word the way others do.

 

[Hall]

I don't think we do. Or you are not using that word the way others do.

Bureaucracy.

I hope now we can have a communication on the same topic.

 

[fresh_42]

I thought everyone know that bureaucrats belong to executive tier.

The main question here seems to be: How do we avoid corruption in public administration?

There are various possibilities, none is perfect. One method is general elections, another one is controlling it by law enforcement. Both have advantages and disadvantages. Which method is applied by which country depends on many, often historical factors. E.g. we have made very, very bad experiences with populism, so our administrative system is more indirect than e.g. the US American is.

 

[Hall]

@fresh_42 As bureaucrats originated from your nation (as far as I know), you might answer this question better: how their selection used to be done and how is it done now?

Does your nation conduct a pan-nation exam in which interested candidates participate and the victors get the jobs (number of victors = number of vacancies)?

 

[fresh_42]

@fresh_42 As bureaucrats originated from your nation (as far as I know),...

What? How do you think early mathematics developed? Accounting and taxation! E.g., the zero, absolutely necessary in a balance sheet, has first been used in India!

... you might answer this question better: how their selection used to be done and how is it done now?

Does your nation conduct a pan-nation exam in which interested candidates participate and the victors get the jobs (number of victors = number of vacancies)?

It is a normal application for a job like any other. You have to prove certain qualifications and need a bit of luck.

 

[Hall]

You have to prove certain qualifications

I would be thankful if you can direct me to a page (or can list here yourself) where the qualifications are listed.

 

[fresh_42]

I would be thankful if you can direct me to a page (or can list here yourself) where the qualifications are listed.

This is impossible in such an unspecified way. And here is the reason (simply count the links!)
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verwaltungsrecht_(Deutschland)

 

[Hall]

This is impossible in such an unspecified way. And here is the reason (simply count the links!)
https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verwaltungsrecht_(Deutschland)

Okay! I got what you mean. Can you please tell me what you people have as a bureaucratic equivalent of a burgomaster?

 

[fresh_42]

This position (mayor) is usually staffed through general elections among the relevant population. It is more a political than an administrative position.

There are so many aspects to be considered if you compare the various systems on the globe, that it is not reasonable to discuss them here. Beginning with the fundamental difference of a jurisdiction governed by laws versus those governed by precedences and juries, history (and within history several aspects as former experiences, tradition, development), population density, separation of powers, decision competence, educational systems (again with historical relevance), and so on. If you look at my Wikipedia link, then you can see why you can study this.

There are significant differences if you compare any British (including all former colonies) system with the German system or an Ottoman system. You can see it easiest how the entire countries are governed. We do not have a presidential system. The parliament has the last word, e.g. in military operations, not a president. And this principle holds in principle true for all subordinate levels. If you like you may consider our chancellor as the first administrator. He can't decide anything relevant without a vote in parliament. And this goes on through all levels. Every such position is controlled by a parliament which usually also has to approve positions in the administration.

 

[Hall]

I beginning to feel that only India has a bureaucratic equivalent of every elected head.

Collector ---> Mayor
Chief Secretary ---> Chief Minister/Governor
Cabinet Secretary ---> Prime Minister/President

 

[Klystron]

I can offer data points from a 'cat's-eye' view of our local government. Cat's-eye refers to an active adult citizen registered to vote in elections, serve on juries when called and generally uphold the peace while holding no office.

The term Bureaucrat rarely appears in political discourse compared to extensive use, often pejorative, 60-70 years ago. My father, who served in Burma and India from 1942 to 1945 during WWII, used the term freely as an epithet to refer to career government employees both elected and appointed.

Bureaucrat connoted an implacable politburo member insensitive to the needs of the average citizen, focused on 'feathering their own bed'. No doubt the term devolved during the 'Red Scare' period.

Local governments in Western United States resemble each other while retaining individual idiosyncratic distinctions. For instance, Nevada elects local non-federal judges and justices-of-the-peace, whereas neighboring California appoints them. Rich municipalities such as Beverley Hills / Bel-Air maintain a city police force while Clark County, Nevada, containing Las Vegas and other cities, consolidates sheriff and police duties in a Metropolitan Police Department "Metro". Metro patrol officers attend an academy and undergo regular evaluations. and examinations for promotion.

Clark County licenses most local businesses with Nevada supplying state boards for practicing law, medicine, and similar professions deemed important to the common good. Cities in the county elect a mayor who reports to a city council. Local, state and federal representatives are usually elected.

 

[Hall]

Cities in the county elect a mayor who reports to a city council. Local, state and federal representatives are usually elected.

Thanks for putting up that point explicitly. I just want to know your views, as candidly as possible, if getting a job in the administrative sector [be it a mayor, governor, commissioner (let's put senates too)] is the hardest of all? As you and one other user have mentioned that most of the administrative officers are elected, doesn't that imply that it's not a kind of job which is deterministic? I mean, you can never be sure to win an election, however, we can always be sure that our research (or even a book on an already discovered topic) will always find an interested audience (I'm not talking about getting as famous as Einstein or Oppenheimer, but at least we shall get a seat in a scientific group and we shall be respected as learned men).

Have you yourself thought (or known somebody who has thought) of becoming an administrative (Mayor, Governor, Commissioner, etc.) officer?