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Question

What is common among Duncan Black, Anthony Dowas, James Buchanan, and Kenneth Arrow ?

The correct answer is
They are all advocates of Public Choice Theory in public administration.

Identifying the Common Link: Public Choice Theory

The question asks for the commonality among Duncan Black, Anthony Dowas, James Buchanan, and Kenneth Arrow. Analyzing their contributions reveals a shared connection to Public Choice Theory.

Key Figures and Public Choice Theory

  • Kenneth Arrow: A Nobel laureate known for his work in social choice theory, which heavily influences Public Choice. His Impossibility Theorem is foundational.
  • James Buchanan: Another Nobel laureate, considered a principal founder of Public Choice Theory. He applied economic analysis to political decision-making.
  • Duncan Black: A political scientist whose work, particularly on spatial voting models, predated and influenced the development of Public Choice Theory.
  • Anthony Dowas: While less commonly cited than the others in this specific context, the context and the correct answer strongly suggest this name is linked to Public Choice, potentially referring to Anthony Downs, a key figure in the field known for his work on the theory of democracy and economic models of political behavior.

Reasoning for the Correct Option

Based on the established contributions of Arrow, Buchanan, and Black, and the likely inclusion of Anthony Downs (as Dowas), the most fitting commonality is their advocacy and development of Public Choice Theory.

  • Option 1 (Public Choice Theory): This aligns with the significant contributions of Buchanan, Arrow, and Black, and likely Dowas (Downs), to this field. Public Choice applies economic methods to analyze political decision-making.
  • Option 2 (UK Cabinet Secretaries): These individuals are primarily known for their theoretical work in economics and political science, not for holding specific administrative posts in the UK government.
  • Option 3 (Whitley Councils): This relates to UK public sector industrial relations and is not a primary focus for these scholars.
  • Option 4 (Classical Theories): While influential thinkers, their work falls more into modern political economy and social choice, distinct from classical administrative theories (e.g., Weber, Taylor).

Therefore, the common link is their work related to Public Choice Theory in public administration and political science.

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Important Questions from Public Administration

  1. Arrange the following administrative thinkers/theorists chronologically

    A. F. W. Willoughby

    B. Max Weber

    C. David Easton

    D. Elton Mayo

  2. Who among the following came out with an innovative idea of ‘constructive conflict’?

  3. Match List I and List II

    List I

    List II

    (A)

    Administration in developing countries: The theory of prismatic society

    (I)

    Herbert Simon 

    (B)

    Administrative benaviour 

    (II)

    Gerald E. Caiden

    (C)

    The dynamics of public administration: Guidelines to current transformations in theory and practice

    (III)

    Fred W. Riggs

    (D)

    The human problem of an industrial civilization 

    (IV)

    Elton Mayo 
  4. The paper entitled 'The study of administration’, published in Political Science Quarterly in 1887, was written by

  5. \Who wrote the book- Management: Tasks, Responsibilities, Practices?

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