Public Service Under Challenge in the Age of Privatization

During the second and third quarters of this century, the scope of public service expanded significantly in almost all societies irrespective of their social, economic, political, and ideological predilections. In the past, such an expansive public bureaucracy came under criticism for its various shortcomings and pathological implications. However, recently, a more serious form of assault on the public service has been introduced by the proponents of the current privatization movement. The advocacy of privatization by the dominant national and international forces has created three major forms of challenges to the public service: a challenge to its legitimacy, a challenge to its ethical standards, and a challenge to its motivational foundation. In this article, the nature and intensity of these challenges are analyzed, the claims and assumptions of privatization are reexamined, and some possible remedies are explored.