how the progressive era contributed to the development of public administration in the country

 how the progressive era contributed to the development of public administration in the country

Introduction

The learning outcomes for week two focused on the leaders and scholars in the field of public administration. They were also very compatible with the course learning objectives. The class materials provided knowledge on the various changes that have continued to be witnessed in public administration and how these changes have shaped the field. Specifically, I was intrigued by how the progressive era contributed to the development of public administration in the country.

Progressive Era

The progressive era was between 1896 to 1961, and t6he class readings revealed how this era shaped the public administration to a better form. Based on the class readings, this era largely contributed to the transformation of the public administration in the country. At the beginning of the 1890s, specific problems facing the United States necessitated changes in areas such as politics, socialization, economy, and also change or the introduction of policies. The cities of the United States, for example, were crowded, and there was also the issue of poor laborers working in appalling.

Additionally, there was also the issue of corruption in some of the highest levels of government. Due to the high levels of corruption in the government, politics and development were ineffective that negatively affected public administration. The reforms of the progressive era were meant to mitigate the problems in the country and were initiated by leaders from the Populist Party, farmers, and business people (Sage, 2010).

Some of the leaders in the progressive era identified by the class readings include Robert La Follette, Woodrow Wilson, and Theodore Roosevelt. These leaders were responsible for ensuring that the United States was able to go through the industrial revolution with little difficulties. I also managed to understand from module 2 that the progressive era contributed to improvements and developments in business management, political entities, and also promoted fairness. The progressive movement completely changed both the social and political landscape in the country. Most of the policies that were developed during the progressive era also ensured that the people were able to be faithfully represented by the government (Sage, 2010).

Public Administration and the Public Affairs

In module 2, there was also the issue of public democracy and bureaucracy that were discussed in the class readings. Public democracy and bureaucracy acted as a guide on how public administrators should carry out their duties. Based on the class readings, public bureaucracy is the state’s arm of civil power. The flaccidity of public bureaucracy was as a result of the entrenched culture and the design of politics in the United States. Based on the class readings, democracy and bureaucracy have continued to be essential concepts in the governing of public administration. Additionally, module 2 revealed that the roots of public administration could be traced from the first State Constitution known as administration by the legislator. During the late 19th Century, the legislature and privy councils started appointing civil services that marked the turning point for public administration (Henry, 2015).

I also learned about the first public administrator, Hamilton, who was also a scholar in public administration. According to the readings, it is Hamilton who was active in understanding nature and how the state’s administration worked. As a scholar, Hamilton conducted numerous research on the civil government by focusing on aspects such as history and science. During the progressive era, Hamilton was a strong advocate for bureaucracy, excellent pay, and public administration power increase. I also managed to understand from the module about a good government. Based on what I learned, a good government should be able and incorruptible (Henry, 2015).

Conclusion

Module 2 learning outcomes were very much compatible with the course learning objective. The module changed and expanded my knowledge of public administration and how it operates. A good example that I discussed early is on the insights of the progressive era. The movement contributed to economic, social, and political reforms and also shaped public administration. The importance of some of the great scholars and leaders in public administration should also not be overlooked. It is through them that public administrators were able to be empowered to serve the public efficiently.