Presidential Politicization in the Post-Watergate Era

• In Event: Politics, Policy, and Administration within the Executive Branch

Abstract

What strategies do presidents use to manage the federal bureaucracy? Previous research has theorized that politicization—the usage of appointees as a means of political control—represents a key goal. However, data limitations have meant that most large-N studies of corresponding politicization strategies have been limited to examination of the last twenty years. Here, using recently-released federal payroll records from 1973-2014, we provide the first large-scale analysis of politicization strategies over the first forty years of the post-Watergate era. Our analysis has implications for scholars of bureaucratic appointments, public administration, and executive politics.

Authors

• Gary E. Hollibaugh, University of Pittsburgh

• Lawrence S. Rothenberg, University of Rochester