Either the state or the local community must be supreme. That is, in case of conflict as to whether a given matter is within the sphere of local or of state action, such conflict must be decided finally either by the state or by the local community. If it is the former which has the power of decision, the government may be made a very centralized one, as a result of the decision by the state of all conflicts in its own favor. On the other hand, if it is the local community which has the power of decision, the result of its exercise of this power in favor of itself may be state disintegration.
Goodnow’s PoliticsAdministration Dichotomy

Frank J. Goodnow (1859-1939) offered the politics- administration dichotomy in his book, politics and administration, published in 1900. Goodnow, one of the founders and first president (in1903) of the American Political Science Association, was one of the most significant voices and writers of progressive reform movement.(美国市政管理体制运动）

Thus the Century Dictionary defines “politics”: In the narrower and more usual sense, the act or vocation of guiding or influencing the policy of a government through the organization of a party among its citizens.
TABLE OF TENTS

Chapter 1 The Primary Functions of the State Chapter 2 The Function of Politics Chapter 3 Central And Local Politics Chapter 4 The Function of Administration Chapter 5 The Effect of the Administrative System on the Relation of Politics And Administration

There are, then, in all governmental systems two primary or ultimate functions of government, viz. the expression of the will of the state and the execution of that will.




The further statements of Wilson’s administrative theory Harmony between the expression and execution of the state will Moderate centralization of administration American’s way-Party regularity Governmental system reform
The further statements of Wilson’s administrative theory

These two functions of government may for purposes of convenience be designated respectively as Politics and Administration. Politics has to do with politics or expressions of the state will. Administration has to do with the execution of these policies.

Now in order that this harmony between the expression and the execution of the state will may be obtained, the independence either of the body which expressed the state will or of the body which executes it must be sacrificed. Either the executing authority, or the expressing authority must be subjected to the control of the executing authority.
Moderate centralization of administration

That is, all states are made up of local communities which in many instances have their own needs separate from the needs of the state as a whole.

The use of the word “administration” in this connection is unfortunately somewhat misleading. When administration used as indicative of function, is apt to promote the idea that this function of government is to be found exclusively in the work of what are commonly referred to as executive or administrative authorities. These in their turn are apt to be regarded as confined to the discharge of function of administration.




Chapter 6 The Influence of the Governmental, and Particularly of the Administrative System on the Position of the Political Party Chapter 7 Popular Government Chapter 8 The Boss Chapter 9 Responsibility of Parties Chapter 10 Conclusions

Lack of harmony between the law and its execution results in political paralysis. A rule of conduct, i.e., an expression of the state will, practically amounts to nothing if it is not executed. It is a mere brutum fulmen. On the other hand the execution of a rule of conduct which is not the expression of the state will is really an exercise by the executing authority of the right to express the state will.

This is the actual condition of things where, while legislation is centralized, the administration of that legislation is decentralized or localized. This is the most important characteristic of what we are accustomed to call local self-government.

Recently, however, writers on administration have seen that, from the point of view both of theoretical speculation and of practical expediency, administration should not be regarded as merely a function of the executive authority. It has been seen that administration is, on the contrary, the function of executing the will of the state.