Topic: Public Administration is a Science or Arts:

Every social discipline finds itself confronted with the questions whether it is a
science or not. The controversy has originated because ‘science’ historically stood
for physical sciences like physics, chemistry etc. Likewise, there are divergent
opinions among the thinkers whether Public Administration is a science or not. One
group of thinkers comprised with Jacob Winer, Morries R. Cohen, Robert A. Dahl, Dr.
Finer and other who denied the status of Public Administration as science. Another
group of thinkers includes C. Neely, Wallace B. Donham, Pfiffner, L. Gullick,
Willoughby and others claimed Public Administration is a science like other
sciences.

(A) Public Administration is a Science: Arguments in favour

The father of Public Administration, W. Wilson declared as early as 1887 that the
subject as the ‘Science of Public Administration’. Pfiffner asserted that “specialist in
Public Administration has achieved a considerable degree of uniformity in their
thinking on those problem of administration which tend to exist irrespective of the
subjective matter of service or functions being performed, a considerable degree of
uniformity in the matter of approach to the solution of problems among the
specialists is characteristics of a science, then Public Administration has some right
to claim of being one”.

Following are the major claims forwarded for proving Public Administration as a
science:
(1)A few scholars opined that if science means systematic study of knowledge
derived from experience and observation, then Public Administration is a
science. Administration some sort has existed since ancient times and in
course of history extensive volume of knowledge accumulated which formed
the science of administration. The ‘Prince’ of Mechiavelli, and ‘Arthasastra’ of
Kautilya are excellent work for Public Administration and not merely treaties on
political philosophy.
(2)Public Administration is a science because it can be studied scientifically by
using scientific methods. Mr. Merson says that the science of Public
Administration offers observations and experiments during the last 50 years,
provided materials for fresh deductions or for the verification of general
proposition previously advanced.
(3)Public Administration in recent time is becoming more and more accurate.
Experience shows that experts in administration are making numerous
predictions leading exactly to the result forecast by them. Charles A. Beard
said that, “Public Administration has developed a body of rules and axioms
which axioms have demonstrated to be applicable to concrete practice and to
working out approximately of forecast”.
(4)With a view to encroaching the science of Public Administration and discover
new techniques and principles of administration special institutions have been
established in all the advanced countries of the world. For instance, in the
U.S.A. there is the famous Max Well Graduate School of Public Administration
at Syracuse, and in India, there is the Indian Institute of Public Administration,
New Delhi.
 (5)Since much advancement has been made and increasing research has been
initiated to discover the place of man in different administrative settings and to
understand the compulsions of social environment of public administration.
The above mentioned points obviously help in claiming Public Administration is also
a science.

(B) Public Administration is not a Science: Argument against

No social science including Public Administration, which studies human behaviour,

can claim the degree of precision and in fallibility characteristic like a physical
science. R. Dahl says “we are long away from a science of Public Administration”.
Thus, Public Administration cannot be called a science because of the following
reasons:
(1)Public Administration lacks exactness of a physical science. Since will, choice,
purpose, whims and value play a vital role when a human being acts, it is not
possible to effect uniformly in this subject like that of other physical sciences.
(2)It is very difficult to isolate facts of Public Administration and measure and
classify them with exactness or verify administrative theories so advocated by
scholars scientifically.
(3)It has been argued that some agreed principles of Public Administration have not
been so far found out. It is not a science to the extent that it has preciseness or
universal validity of laws or principles. Dr. Finer says “we cannot say quite
clearly what administrative principles are or what they are not”.
(4)Public Administration always lack objectivity. Because pure sciences are
objective, uniform, systematic, predictable and verifiable. They hardly changes
with the changes of time, place, and environment. On the contrary, the subject
matter of Public Administration is human being who constantly changes with the
changes of time and environment.
(5)Again, Public Administration is concerned with human behaviour which is not
subject to uniformities of nature like physical sciences.

(C) Public Administration is an Art:

Public Administration is not only a science but has been recognized as a distinct art
since time immemorial. In ancient Chinese, Egyptians even Indians used it as art.
The ‘art’ means the act of doing things so as to produce harmonious results. The
authority of the subject of Public Administration first discovers principles of
administration and then puts them in practice. The applicability of these principles
to a particular situation makes the administrators an artist. The performance of the
art, in accordance with the laid down principles, makes the subject an art.
Charleswarth says “administration is an art because it requires fineness
leadership, zeal and lofty convictions”.
As an art, the administrator before taking any action is supposed to make up his
mind on the basis of science of administration. Eventually, he is to act, to achieve
the desired objectives. Action is an art and the administrator who is takes it, is an
artist in the field of administration. In the words of Tead Ordway, “administration is
a moral art and administrator is a moral agent”. We can, therefore, say that Public
Administration is also an art.
From the above discussion we can come to the conclusion that Public
Administration is not a science like other physical sciences. It is on its way to
become a science. According to Urwick, “a true science of administration is
ultimately possible”. But, it is primarily a social science of observation rather than
experiment. In the words of Wallace B. Donham, “administration is a social
science with its own techniques”. It is a progressive science whose generalization or
principles are bound to be constantly revised in the light of fresh discovery of facts
and new experience. Similarly, it is an art of running the administration with a view
to achieve its goals. We, therefore, conclude that Public Administration is not only a
social science but also an art.