Sources: International Encyclopedia of Political Science

Abstract

A civil service is a system for managing human resources using mechanisms with which governments select, employ, and promote the personnel who act as public administrators. A civil service system takes into account the qualifications and aptitudes of employees. In other words, it is the institutional framework within which the human resources employed in the public sector are organized in a way that allows governments to employ the best people. These employees work to achieve the results of projects put forward by their governments, regardless of their political affiliation or party. The bases of the civil service are established in statutes, laws, or regulations, and for its successful operation, an autonomous structure is required—a body that will oversee its strict operation and the observation of the norms that regulate the civil service, so that its usefulness contributes to strengthening the democratic values of the societies it serves. This entry describes the characteristics of career civil service, the forms it may take, and the subsystems involved in its operation. The place of the civil service in public administration and the benefits associated with it are then examined in light of evolving democratic values.