I get that it’s because you need to be elected etc, but why isn’t this a common practise for experts to run and be put in these positions? For example the minister of health should be something along the lines of a doctor or many years of experience in the business of the relevant health service
In: Economics
There’s a big difference between being an expert in a subject matter and being qualified to manage a large government agency.
As an example, the Secretary of Transportation is responsible for overseeing the entire US Department of Transportation, including the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, and several other agencies. Their job is to develop and coordinate government policy.
The DOT has a lot of people with expertise in transportation and civil engineering on staff, and a good but even the most skilled air traffic controller or highway engineer isn’t necessarily qualified to be the administrator in charge of the department. That’s a completely separate set of skills.
Similarly, the US Surgeon General is typically a doctor, but they report to administrative positions above them like the Secretary of Health and Human Services.
That being said, a good administrator will typically take the advice of subject matter experts when they have relevant expertise on an issue.
Latest Answers