THE HANDBOOK OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION Editors Prof. Dr. Bekir PARLAK Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kadir Caner DOĞAN Lyon 2022 Vol. 2, Prof. Dr. Bekir Parlak,Doç. Dr. Kadir Caner Doğan, Editör, Livre de Lyon, Lyon, ss.17-32, 2022
Aministration is a phenomenon encountered in all areas of life.
Aministration is also a valid phenomenon in the state, which is the
most extensive and comprehensive human structure. Over time, due to
the importance attributed to the state or the changes in the definition of the state,
the perspective on the state especially on decision makers has also changed. The
crises, wars and economic developments in the world has also contributed to this
change of perspective. In the traditional, charismatic or divinely organized state,
there was absolute loyalty to almost every decision made by the decision makers.
However, developments in scientific, economic and intellectual fields have also
affected people’s evaluations of decision makers, especially politicians. It has
been argued that there are many factors and variables affecting the decisionmaking processes of decision-makers, who were previously seen as omnipotent
and thought to serve the public interest. One of the theories systematically
explaining these assertions or findings is the public choice theory.
Public choice theory began to take shape in the second half of the 20th
century. The public choice theory asserts that public personnel and politicians,
like decision makers in the private sector, primarily prioritize their own interests
in the process of decision-making. Public choice theorists explain these assertions
using the concepts and principles of economics. Scholars who take part in
the development of the public choice theory express that decision makers in
government institutions will prioritize their own interests over the public interest
and social benefit. According to the public choice theory scholars, this is what it should be and the behaviours of the decision makers should not be surprising. In
fact, human beings will strive to maximize their own interests regardless of the
given task. Therefore, according to public choice theory scholars, this situation
is purely natural. As a result, public choice theory scholars analyzed the existing
characteristics of decision makers rather than what these characteristics should
be.