The Fragility of Merit
Presidential Power and the Civil Service Under Trump
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Taylor & Francis Ltd
Published:12th Nov '24
Currently unavailable, and unfortunately no date known when it will be back
While the operation and structure of the public workforce is not a matter that is on the minds of most, the consequences for the nature and effectiveness of government are substantial. The Fragility of Merit provides a detailed examination of the importance of a professionally competent and politically neutral public service.
Illustrating the fundamental fragility of the federal civil service in the United States and the underlying concept of merit in public employment, J. Edward Kellough demonstrates how a particular view of presidential power grounded in unitary executive theory was used during Donald J. Trump’s term in office. Specifically, he reviews various efforts to subordinate the public workforce to presidential authority and explains how those actions threatened to undermine bureaucratic expertise that is desperately needed in government.
The Fragility of Merit makes a persuasive case for protecting the civil service and for rebuilding a national consensus in favor of merit in public employment. It will benefit researchers, academics, students, and others with an interest in public administration, public personnel management, government, and bureaucracy.
RECOMMENDED by Choice
The Fragility of Merit is packed with details and acronyms but provides excellent evidence of what Trump has done to hollow out the civil service. Released right after the 2024 presidential election, this book accurately foretold the first few months of Trump's second administration and the steps the administration has taken to further its attempts from its first term. Kellough's description of what the administration "accomplished" with regard to controlling the functions and behaviors of the bureaucracy is like looking at the first part of a road map. The removal of dispute mechanisms for employee complaints and appeals, the limiting of public employee unions' power, and other actions taken between 2017 and 2021 have set the stage for the more damaging actions the administration would take in its earliest days in 2025. This work fits well into the niche of academic work over the last eight or so years depicting the deconstruction of the administrative state.
J. Twombly, emeritus, Elmira College
Summing Up: Recommended. Advanced undergraduates through faculty; professionals
This book is very timely given the deep division in how Americans view our political system and how much or how little they value people who work in political environments. Civil service systems have long protected government employees, who at times, work in highly charged political environments. Dr. Kellough explores the evolution of the federal civil service system and reforms over the past few years as he traces the partisan effort to dismantle the federal workforce.
Doug Goodman, Professor of Public Administration, University of Central Florida
ISBN: 9781032656342
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: 140g
140 pages