Natural Law Liberalism and Bureaucracy

Chapter 6 focuses on the increasing politicization of the civil service from the nineteenth century to the present day. Although no aspect of modern life has come in for such consistent abuse, there is no doubt that the nature and quality of a nation’s civil service is crucial in the provision of competent governance. So, contra MacIntyre, a civil service of some description is required. But, as was the case with the rule of law, providing an account of the civil service consistent with both the division of powers and the facts of bureaucratic life requires reconceiving the division of powers. The Weberian idea that the civil servant merely advises on and implements the policies made by government ministers is shown to be inadequate. The results of the last chapter are pressed into service again here, and illustrated by consideration of the UK’s 2016 decision to leave the European Union.