Skip to main content Skip to search Skip to search

Political Science Public Affairs & Administration

At the Pleasure of the Crown

The Politics of Bureaucratic Appointments

by (author) Christopher A. Cooper

Publisher
UBC Press
Initial publish date
Oct 2020
Category
Public Affairs & Administration, Canadian
  • Hardback

    ISBN
    9780774864763
    Publish Date
    Oct 2020
    List Price
    $34.95
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9780774864794
    Publish Date
    Oct 2020
    List Price
    $125.00
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9780774864770
    Publish Date
    Apr 2021
    List Price
    $32.95

Add it to your shelf

Where to buy it

Description

Unlike most public servants, top administrators – those who manage thousands of personnel and oversee millions of dollars in public spending – are appointed by the head of government. At the Pleasure of the Crown is a detailed exploration of this central but overlooked aspect of governing.

 

Christopher A. Cooper analyzes the appointment of deputy ministers in Canada’s provincial bureaucracies over the last century. As the nature of governance has shifted – from limited government to welfare state and into the contemporary era of managerialism – governments have looked for different qualities in those who occupy top bureaucratic posts. Partisan loyalty was replaced by candid advice, and ultimately by feverish devotion to the policy agenda. Throughout, turnover among bureaucratic elites has remained highly political.

 

At the Pleasure of the Crown illuminates the historical balance of power between elected politicians and appointed bureaucrats, as well as the consequences for the integrity of Canadian public institutions.

About the author

Contributor Notes

Christopher A. Cooper is an associate professor of public management at the University of Ottawa. His research investigates the complex relationship between politics and administration and has been published in a variety of leading periodicals, such as Public Administration, Governance, and Parliamentary Affairs.