Bureaucracy reform: the viewpoint of russian political leaders

Abstract

The article examines the question of how integrated the Civil Service reform program is in political discourse, and how the content of these programs depends on political changes. The statements about the Civil Service reform by Russian leaders have been studied in a wide time range from 1916 to 2016. The author had formed large empirical data to have the opportunity to use statistical methods. It was found that most of the statements related to Civil Service reforms chronologically coincide with the periods of social and political instability. The leaders of polar political orientation have voiced textually and substantially similar theses on the bureaucracy reform. All of them can be reduced to a few key themes. The politicians of different generations and political views have statements similar in form and content to each of these themes. For instance, every leader, communist or democrat, voiced the idea about the need for a gradual displacement of bureaucracy structures by the civil society institutions. The most quoted issue was about the public authorities efficiency and about the personnel management. The statements about the Civil Service interaction with society, as well as about corruption and Civil Service relationship with politicians were rarely stated. More or less often were discussed the questions regarding payment system and number of civil servants. Our hypothesis was proved to be right that the general direction of the Civil Service reform is experiencing relatively weak influence from political situation because institutional characteristics of the Civil Service are relatively stable. The statements from politicians about bureaucracy are strongly connected with political cycles and their main purpose is to criticize the previous leader. The promises to reduce bureaucracy, make political system cheaper and closer to people are an important element in pre-election rhetoric of political leaders, which attracts the support of voters to them.