The Competent Cabinet? Ministers in Sweden and the Problem of Competence and Democracy

Abstract

The competence of Cabinet members in general, and of Swedish Cabinet members in particular, is frequently put into doubt despite the fact that little systematic research exists on the topic. The meaning of ‘competence’ in this context is of course controversial. This study is confined to the occurrence of ‘expertise’: indicators of professional experience from the subject areas for which the minister is responsible. The sample includes 182 Swedish Cabinet appointments from 1917 to 2004, covering the full range of ministers concerned with economic and social affairs. The indicators used include previous political experience from the relevant policy field as well as relevant educational and professional backgrounds. When these measures are used, the resulting pattern is that few government ministers are truly amateurs at the time of entering the Cabinet. Moreover, there are few signs that the level of expertise so understood has undergone any dramatic changes during the time period. These results speak against the views endorsed by some scholars that ‘the problem of power of politicians is power without competence’. If it is true that political experience has the potential to breed expertise in particular policy fields, it cannot also be true that the recruitment of full‐time politicians as Cabinet Ministers indicates the absence of expertise.

Presidentialisation in the Executive Sphere? Evidence from Norwegian Cabinets

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O conceito de expertise e sua aplicação: O caso dos ministros da Fazenda e presidentes do BNDE no Brasil (1930-1964)

“…Como afirmam Beckman (2006) e Bakema e Secker (1988), as atribuições de ministérios das finanças são ao mesmo tempo técnicas e políticas. A decisão de alocação de recursos orçamentários e a definição de políticas macroeconômicas de grande impacto social reservada aos ministros dessa pasta nos obriga a considerar o perfil dos ministros da forma mais ampla possível.…”

Post‐ministerial occupation in advanced industrial democracies: Ambition, individual resources and institutional opportunity structures

“…First of all, ex‐ministers post‐office options may depend on their seniority – that is, on the amount of political experience they have. Senior politicians may be highly valued by presidents and prime ministers since they have more experience in dealing with complex situations and controversial policies (Beckman : 127). Likewise, law and order departments, such as defence and interior, or foreign affairs tend to require more experienced politicians (Thiébault : 21; see also Rodríguez‐Teruel ).…”