Regulating Corporate Performance and the Managerialization of Local Politics

Abstract

The modernization of local government in unitary constitutions such as the UK has involved a complex mixture of managerialism and public engagement agendas. The post-1997 reforms have moved on from focusing on the delivery of individual local services such as education and social services, and, through comprehensive performance assessment, are now aimed at the transformation of local government itself. Since such policies appear to challenge the classic dichotomy between politics and administration, the paper applies Luhmann’s theory of autopoietic systems in order to analyze the relationship between these systems. The theory and policies are explored through a comparison between two large UK local authorities. The fieldwork suggests that nationally determined indicators and somewhat Weberian models of planning and control are prominent features New Labour modernization. Yet there are significant differences between the two authorities. In spite of the regulatory pressure, the one authority’s political system, sustained by a local media, longstanding municipal traditions and potentially explosive political conflicts, remained vigorous. The other authority, in contrast, was less able to resist managerialization.