Who is the Father of Public Administration?

Woodrow Wilson is widely regarded as the Father of Public Administration. He earned this title for his groundbreaking essay "The Study of Administration" published in 1887, which laid the foundation for modern public administration as an academic discipline.

Why is Woodrow Wilson Called the Father of Public Administration?

Woodrow Wilson was the first to highlight the need for a separate study of public administration—independent from political science. In his essay, he introduced the idea that public administration should be treated as a science, focusing on efficiency, organization, and policy implementation.

Key Contributions of Woodrow Wilson

• Introduced Public Administration as an Academic Discipline
  He emphasized that public administration should be studied to improve governance and service delivery.
• Politics-Administration Dichotomy
  Wilson proposed a clear separation between politics and administration, arguing that politics should create policies, while administration should implement them.
• Promoted Efficiency in Government
  He encouraged reforms to make government work more like a business, focusing on structure, discipline, and results.

Importance in Modern Governance

Wilson’s thoughts influenced government reforms, civil services, and administrative practices worldwide. Today, public administration plays a vital role in shaping policy, development, and governance systems in both democratic and bureaucratic setups.

Summary 

Woodrow Wilson, known as the Father of Public Administration, laid the intellectual foundation for this field. His work stressed the importance of efficiency, structure, and policy implementation. As a pioneer, he made public administration a professional and academic subject, separating it from politics and linking it to governance and public service.