The French Médiateur : a study in administrative politics, 1972-1981
The French Médiateur : a study in administrative politics, 1972-1981
The subjest of this dissertation is the institution of the Mediateur in France, its creation and its functioning over the nine-year period from its inception in 1973 to 1981. The early chapters deal with the institution's origins which are set in the broad context of the French tradition of discourse about government and administration, the current practice of public administration and earlier measures of administrative reform. Subsequent chapters examine in detail the passage of the Mediateur Acts of 1973 and 1976, and various aspects of the institution's functioning: the nature of the Mediateur's clientele; findings of maladministration; the institution's distinctive equity jurisdiction; individual case-work; and the Mediateur's activity as an administrative reform agent. Of the study's findings, two are of particular importance: (i) that, to make an impact as a redressor of grievances, the institution has been obliged to operate along traditional lines - this is partly a function of the nature and expectations of the Mediateur's clientele and partly a reflection of the entrenched power of the administration; (11) that although the institution operates on a day-to-day basis as an 'influential intercessor', it has sensitized public and elite opinion to the injustice and hardship associated with 'maladministration' and has made a genuine impact as an administrative reform agent. The final part of the thesis analyses the 'politics of the redress of grievances' in Britain and France, concentrating on the role of the 'Ombudsman' in each country. It seeks to illustrate the range and scope of institutional responses to the problem of securing adequate redress, in the contemporary welfare state, for members of the public harbouring a grievance against government officials; and to evaluate, and account for variations in, the effectiveness of the Ombudsman in Britain and France respectively.
University of Southampton
1983
Clark, David John
(1983)
The French Médiateur : a study in administrative politics, 1972-1981.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
The subjest of this dissertation is the institution of the Mediateur in France, its creation and its functioning over the nine-year period from its inception in 1973 to 1981. The early chapters deal with the institution's origins which are set in the broad context of the French tradition of discourse about government and administration, the current practice of public administration and earlier measures of administrative reform. Subsequent chapters examine in detail the passage of the Mediateur Acts of 1973 and 1976, and various aspects of the institution's functioning: the nature of the Mediateur's clientele; findings of maladministration; the institution's distinctive equity jurisdiction; individual case-work; and the Mediateur's activity as an administrative reform agent. Of the study's findings, two are of particular importance: (i) that, to make an impact as a redressor of grievances, the institution has been obliged to operate along traditional lines - this is partly a function of the nature and expectations of the Mediateur's clientele and partly a reflection of the entrenched power of the administration; (11) that although the institution operates on a day-to-day basis as an 'influential intercessor', it has sensitized public and elite opinion to the injustice and hardship associated with 'maladministration' and has made a genuine impact as an administrative reform agent. The final part of the thesis analyses the 'politics of the redress of grievances' in Britain and France, concentrating on the role of the 'Ombudsman' in each country. It seeks to illustrate the range and scope of institutional responses to the problem of securing adequate redress, in the contemporary welfare state, for members of the public harbouring a grievance against government officials; and to evaluate, and account for variations in, the effectiveness of the Ombudsman in Britain and France respectively.
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
Published date: 1983
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 460650
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/460650
PURE UUID: 1046ac0d-f606-46eb-bb45-8154df07d22e
Catalogue record
Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 18:26
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 18:26
Export record
Contributors
Author:
David John Clark
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.
View more statistics