A. Weale et al., ENVIRONMENTAL ADMINISTRATION IN 6 EUROPEAN STATES - SECULAR CONVERGENCE OR NATIONAL DISTINCTIVENESS, Public administration, 74(2), 1996, pp. 255-274
To what extent has environmental administration in Europe been shaped
by common secular forces or by distinctive national contexts? Middle r
ange theories of the policy process suggest competing answers to this
question, with some implying the likelihood of convergence in administ
rative structures and others suggesting persistent national distinctiv
eness. Using data on Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain an
d the UK, we construct a measure of administrative concentration in ea
ch country. From this measure we assess the extent of convergence over
time among the six nations. We argue that national context is a more
important influence than common secular trends, and we identify in eac
h state the political dynamics behind the national pattern. The symbol
ic role of administrative reorganization is thereby highlighted in the
politics of environmental policy.