Administrative Reforms in Post-Communist Countries: Similarities and Differences

Administrative reforms in post-communist countries are often researched as one-country case studies and with a legal focus. In this article, the author uses a comparative approach to identify the main features of administrative reform policy in post-communist countries, as opposed to such reforms in Western democracies, as well as to point out the elements and actors in these processes that may lead to differences among the post-communist administrations. The article focuses on the civil service systems as key elements of administrative change, stressing the importance of the relationship between the political officials and the top civil servants. These “insiders” to the reform are crucial to the successful policy transfer of administrative reforms, which depends on the development of their competences and results in better administrative capacity. Elite circulation and level of corruption are noted as additional intervening factors. On the basis of existing comparative studies and the identified elements and actors in administrative reforms in post-communist countries, the author indicates potential areas for further research in this field