Demystifying the State

Tony Burton

This report, with a foreword by Oliver Harwich, provides a deep examination of the structure and function of the New Zealand state. It deconstructs the workings of government by reflecting on human behavior within institutions. Drawing from Burton’s experience in the public sector, the report explores three key areas: the motivations of public servants, the concept of institutional mismatch leading to policy failures, and the ecological limits of the state. Additionally, it delves into critical reforms needed to improve the state's efficiency, emphasizing that these reforms must acknowledge its inherent limitations. The document critiques commonly held beliefs about altruistic bureaucratic motivations and outlines examples of the system’s dysfunctions, including cases of institutional failure in addressing state abuses. The report introduces ‘institutional mismatch’ and highlights the necessity of structural change to remedy the limitations of New Zealand's public service.

institutional reform public policy bureaucracy public sector efficiency public choice theory government failures political accountability state structure public service motivation state ecosystem state limits public sector motivation