A Government Ill Executed: The Decline of the Federal Service and How to Reverse It

by Paul C. Light

Book Overview

The federal government is having increasing difficulty faithfully executing the laws, which is what Alexander Hamilton called "the true test" of a good government. This book diagnoses the symptoms,... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0674028082
• ISBN13: 9780674028081
• Release Date: May 2008
• Publisher: Harvard University Press
• Length: 278 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.5" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Says the hidden story

This is a good book. I highly recommend it to anyone who is a political junkie or a government insider. Paul Light says some things that no one else is saying. He really uncovers what is truly happening to government that effects how it operates. This book is primarily an academic book. It is not written in a way to excite. However it is very well documented. His work comes primarily from his own research. Paul also bases his book in basic theory, quoting Jefferson and Hamilton, and the Federalist papers frequently throughout the book. The book is very well organized. The ideas are laid out in a nice easy to understand manor that gets well wrapped up in the end. The book is kind of tame. His points are buried in facts. He does mention something no one else anywhere does. Paul Light talks about the secret growth of government. He documents the size of government that Washington seems to try to hide. The secret government is the growth of government contracts. The ratio of contractors in 90 was like 1 to 3. Now the ration is 5 or 6 to 1. These contractors frequently costs twice as much as civil servants. I also like his point about how reform has become a shell game. The government is constantly reforming, a point which he documents well. This constant change does take attention away from true performance. I also like his point about the retirement wave lurking in the near future. This is a huge event that people in Washington seem to want to avoid. Every now and then someone talks about it. However there hasn't been much increase in hiring to match the words. I think if you work in the system or are a very serious student of the system you need to read the book. It will open up your eyes to some points that go against the grain and you haven't thought about before.

A Government Ill Executed

I purchased this book for class. I don't regret buying it. It was very informative. I would recommend it to anyone interested in public administration.

Reversing the decline of the federal service

"A Government Ill Executed" by Paul Light is the most useful book I have read recently concerning the operation of our federal government. He finds it plagued by poor execution, citing such familiar examples as negligent medical care of veterans, contract problems in Iraq, and the Katrina debacle, a decline he is eager to reverse. Light goes back to Alexander Hamilton and Thomas Jefferson, finding traces of each in the strengths and weaknesses of our modern government. In fact, the theme of the book is similar to that of Alexander Hamilton when he argued in Federalist Paper No. 70 that "a government ill executed is a bad government." Much of this very readable book is devoted to problems that Light believes have led to a significant decline in the effectiveness of the federal government. For example, he describes the increased layering of the federal government and the growing number of low-level political appointees that slow government processes and dilute accountability. Light laments the current conditions that reduce the ability of government to attract talented men and women to the federal career service, and once in government, reduces their incentive to remain. In citing these and other growing deficiencies, Light suggests the need for a bold attack to reverse this decline, pointing out that addressing only one problem at a time will have little impact. To move beyond merely tinkering with change, he urges a packaging of actions that address a number of interrelated problems. His agenda lists 28 specific changes designed to restore a more energetic federal service. Recognizing the challenges in building sufficient consensus to achieve this ambitious goal, Light suggests that it may take a national commission on government restructuring to advance a successful comprehensive reform. Paul Light's timely package of reform ideas deserves careful consideration by the presidential transition teams of both Senators McCain and Obama.

A Must-Read for federal government management

Paul Light's "A Government Well-Executed" is a must-read, not only for students of government, but for anyone who wants the federal government to perform better. It astutely synthesizes the managerial issues that need to be addressed today and lays out realistically what must be done to remedy these urgent problems. There is no book available that does a better job -- clearly, concisely, comprehensively. Richard Stillman Editor in Chief Public Administration Quarterly

Why public service matters

This is a very important book. Public service is nothing short of a life and death matter for any country. Unfortunately, there is little attention in official Washington to finding ways to make the civil service better. Paul Light is an exception. He used to run a program at a major Washington think tank dealing with this subject. Many people might be shocked to know that when administrations change our system is so archaic that many agencies are not fully staffed for up to two years. I don't agree with everything here but this is a rare and detailed study of a subject that is vitally important. For more information check my Listmania list on the subject of public service.