Sabotage: Lessons in Bureaucratic Governance from Pakistan, Taiwan, and Turkey

How does a state continue functioning and ensuring public service delivery even during times of political crisis? Sabotage: Lessons in Bureaucratic Governance from Pakistan, Taiwan, and Turkey argues the answer is that a high-quality bureaucracy operating with institutional autonomy. Using primary data collected through extensive fieldwork in Pakistan, Turkey, and Taiwan, it explains how bureaucracy is the lynchpin that can save or sabotage a state. A high-quality bureaucracy based on Weberian ideals alone is not enough, it needs institutional autonomy to operate an optimal level. Using evidence from all three country cases, the book maps out scenarios of what happens when bureaucratic quality and institutional independence are altered. In the case of Taiwan, bureaucracy plays the role of a facilitator during democratization figuratively saving the state, while Turkey offers a scenario of democratic backsliding that is predicated on gutting bureaucratic competence . While the case of Pakistan theorizes that a bureaucracy as the guardian of a state can sabotage any reform or change in service of self-preservation. The book offers also offers useful insights about the process of democratization, such as a professionalized bureaucracy is the first step for democracy to take root, and that possible backsliding can be detected early on based on whether a government is purposely weakening the bureaucracy or hurting institutional autonomy through politicization. The book also proposes that reforms, specifically bureaucratic reforms need to be enacted for them to work.

Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: Governance Stability: The Logic of Bureaucratic Efficiency and Autonomy Chapter 2: Measuring and Observing Governance Stability Chapter 3: Chaotic Stability: The Case of Pakistan's Governance Amid Political Chaos Chapter 4: The Autocratic Roots of Democracy: The Case of Taiwan's Reformed Bureaucracy Chapter 5: Institutions Wrecked and a Democracy Lost: The Case of Turkey's Governance Breakdown Chapter 6: Governance Stability… That Is How Countries Keep Functioning During Political Crises

About the Author :
Adnan Rasool is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Review :
Drawing on an innovative network analysis, Professor Rasool argues that existing analyses of regime instability myopically focus on conflicts between politicians and generals. He proposes that senior bureaucrats may be the true 'king makers' because they can most directly “make and break” regimes. Rasool thus insightfully redefines a long-standing debate. “Sabotage: Lessons in Bureaucratic Governance from Pakistan, Taiwan, and Turkey by Adnan Rasool,is innovative, imaginative, and refreshing in its approach, content, and style. The book has three outstanding features; first, it is theoretically rigorous and makes an effective articulation of the failsafe theory in making critical appraisal of competencies and professionalism of bureaucracies. Second, it transmits a comparative analytical method—professionalism of bureaucracies, juxtaposing it to the absence of professionalism among politicians and political parties; third it is exceptional and innovative in picking three cases: Pakistan, Turkey and Taiwan, culturally and geographically distinctly separate and yet the political systems have similarities-- underscoring that all three have witnessed prolonged military rule, and in case of Turkey and Taiwan extended single party rule, while the yearning for democracy and democratic movements continue to reappear. The study brings to attention the persistence of military rule and highlights the historical, cultural, economic, and political circumstances of each country, in struggling to construct democracy under authoritarian tendencies and rulership. The author provides an insightful view into the causes of political chaos and the resilience, professionalism and competencies of the bureaucracy ensuring continuity and stability.”