This work investigates the fundamental tension between democratic governance and the expansion of the administrative state. Emmette S. Redford, a noted scholar in public administration, examines how bureaucratic structures can be reconciled with democratic values. He provides a framework for understanding the role of administrators as participants in the democratic process rather than mere executors of policy.

Experts in public administration frequently cite this text as a foundational exploration of the administrative state's democratic legitimacy. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which remains a standard reference for students of political science and governance.