Problems of Municipal Administration by Jane Addams

Jane Addams in her discourse 'Problems of Municipal Administration' criticized the undemocratic nature of American Municipal Administration and suggested effective ways of solving these issues and tackling the situation.

Running head: PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
Public Administration
Name of Student
Name of University
Author Note

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Jane Addams was one of the pioneer sociologists and social activists of America. Being
one of the most important activists, Addams addressed some of the major social issues that the
American citizens were facing. The problems that the common citizens were facing were various
health issues, needs of children and many more. Although her major works were towards social
peace and anti-war movements. Born on September 6, 1860 in Cedarville, Illinois, Addams was
rightly known as the “mother” of Social work. In 1931, she was awarded with the Nobel Peace
Prize for her outstanding works and achievements in social reform and obtaining international
peace. In 1905, she wrote the “Problems of Municipal Administration” in The American Journal
of Sociology, where she took a dig on the American Municipal administration.
The major flaws of the administration, as pointed by Addams, were its undemocratic
nature. According to Addams (1905, p. 52), the American administration was pretending to
follow the decorating structure and self-government. Moreover, she pointed out that the
government was suspicious and mistrustful outlook towards the citizens. They were acting and
operating with their free wills and thought that the municipality has the power to take decisions
on behalf of the citizens. The administration, at that time were more focusing on the rights and
privileges related to property rights. However, it was taking a reluctant attitude towards the
welfare issues of the citizens. Addams has pointed out that this attitude of the administration was
the result of their lack of understanding of the common people. The American citizens, at that
time were habituated in simple lifestyles and they had lesser understanding of the political and
administrational issues (Addams, 1905, p. 51). As a consequence of the ignorant attitude of the
common people, this anarchic and undemocratic administration was working with ease in its
initial periods. However, it started to face the dissension when the American citizens started to
experience ample growth in the population. As a result of immigration, the cities were becoming

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flooded with population. In addition to this, because of industrialization, the demand for the
labors had also increased.
The inexperienced and undemocratic administration could not cope up with the demands
of the common people. In their unwillingness to cooperate and function in a better manner, they
took resort to the English law (Grosfeld & Zhuravskaya, 2015). They were unable to realize the
difference between these two administrations and the importance of the self-government. As a
result, the government started to function only for the elite Americans and towards their benefits.
In this regard, Addams has mentioned that the administration was running purely one the basis of
a vague belief of creating ideal society, but in real scenario, they were far away from the reality
and the capacity of the current society at that time. As a result of this romanticism, the
administration kept on incorporating stringent rule and regulation, which ultimately went only in
the favor of the elite class (Addams, 1905, p. 53). As a result, the citizens became either
indifferent or intolerant towards the government. Whereas, one section of the society lost its faith
on the administration, the other inclined towards radical politics (Gerber, 2014). This lead to a
chaotic situation in the society.
However, Addams in her discourse has not only criticized the government but also has
suggested some effective ways of solving these issues and tackling the situation. She encouraged
the politicians and the administrators to leave the traditional concept of running a government
(Addams, 1905, p. 55). The government should create an atmosphere where the administration
would be more responsive and sympathetic towards the civic and economic needs of the
common people. At the very beginning of her discourse, Addams has mentioned the ideas and
principals of Thomas Jefferson, who believed that all human beings are born as equal and should

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be treated as equal. The author furthermore put stress on this egalitarian believe and urged that
the American municipal administration should have followed this ideology.
As a social activist and sociologist, Jane Addams had immense understanding of
maintaining the welfare of the common people. She had also rightly recognized the political and
structure and the present need of the society. The society at that time was going through
revolutionary changes. American society at that time was seeing developments in agricultural
and economic sectors. As a result of this, a sense of dignity was also growing amongst the
citizens. People began to realize that the undemocratic government would no way be helpful to
the maintenance of the basic needs and welfare of the citizens. With gradual consciousness, the
masses were also becoming aware of their rights and needs. They were also disillusioned
regarding the efficiency of the municipal administration. She mentioned that though the
government was supposed to be democratic, the people that were running the municipality were
following Puritan ideals. Taking proper notice to these situations, Addams had excellently
addressed the problems in her discourse. Moreover, she provided perfect suggestions also, so as
the administration started working in a more competent way.

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Reference:
Addams, J. (1905). Problems of municipal administration. American Journal of Sociology, 10(4),
425-444
Gerber, L. G. (2014). The rise and decline of faculty governance: Professionalization and the
modern American university. JHU Press.
Grosfeld, I., & Zhuravskaya, E. (2015). Cultural vs. economic legacies of empires: Evidence
from the partition of Poland. Journal of Comparative Economics, 43(1), 55-75.