PUB1501 (UNISA): PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION (NATURE, CONTENT AND
SCOPE) POSSIBLE EXAM QUESTIONS AND FULL ESSAY FORM ASNWERS.
Questions discussed in this document:
Page 2
• Use concepts like “needs”, “society” and “services” to answer the question: What is public administration?
• In a detailed essay, define the concept “government” and analyse various forms of government. It is expected
of you to also refer to the different spheres of government in South Africa. Support your answers with relevant
examples.
Page 3
• The concept of “good life”
• The “good life” as an individual issue.
• The “good life” as a group issue.
• Who is responsible for protecting “the good life” in a specific state?
• Explain how “development” is linked to “the good life”. Support your answer with an example.
Page 4
• Discuss the public services that are provided to society
Page 5
• Explain the meaning of the following concepts: Social contract, Milieu, Demography, Community, State, Needs,
Society
Page 6
• Define the concept “social contract”
• Discuss the history of the social contract with specific reference to the work of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke
and Jean Jacques Rousseau.
Page 7
• Define the concept “demography”
• A society is influenced by many factors in its milieu. Describe in detail the 5 factors.
Page 8
• Explain the characteristics of each of the following public services. Support your answer with examples. (a)
Individual services (b) Quasi-collective services (c) Collective services
Page 9
• Describe why the constitution of the RSA of SA of 1996 is a contemporary example of a social contract, by
referring to the historical prelude of the Constitution of the RSA of 1996.
• Describe why the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) is a contemporary example
of a social contract.
Page 10
• Discuss the nature of reciprocal rights and obligations between individuals, society and the government.
Provide examples to support your answer.
Page 11
• The relationship between the state, country and its citizens (diagram)
• The relationship between the public, community, citizens, society and the state (diagram)
• What is the difference between a competitive free market and a self-regulating free market?
Page 12
• The government is involved in providing collective-, quasi-collective – and individuals services. Analyse and
six (6) criteria to determine whether government should become involved in the provision of individual
services.
• (Includes the Criterion of competitive market)
, Use concepts like “needs”, “society” and “services” to answer the question:
What is public administration?
Public administration is satisfying the needs (something that is necessary or essential
to people; poverty or a lack of something; people’s inner desire for something, for
example people have a need for freedom) of society (a collection of people within a
particular geographic area consisting of a number of communities and individuals each
with their own particular needs) within the borders of a specific state by the provision
of certain public services (an organized system of labour and material aids used to
supply the need of the public) by the authorities at all spheres of government.
In a detailed essay, define the concept “government” and analyse various forms
of government. It is expected of you to also refer to the different spheres of
government in South Africa. Support your answers with relevant examples.
Government: The term ‘government’ refers to all the people and public institutions
who exercise authority in and on behalf of a state. Government sets and administers
public policy and exercises executive political and sovereignty power through customs,
institutions and laws at various levels of government.
Forms of government: Forms of government have to do with the actions of
government. Two broad categories may be distinguished, namely democratic forms of
government and nondemocratic forms of government. Democratic forms of
government are characterised by the principles of popular sovereignty, political
equality, equality of the people, consultation with the people and majority government.
Examples of democratic forms of government include ideal democracy and limited
democracy
Non-democratic forms of government are characterised by the fact that the principles
present in democracies are absent to varying degrees. Examples of non-democratic
forms of government include oligarchies/dictatorships, totalitarianism and perfect
totalitarianism.
Spheres of government: The South African state has 3 different spheres of
government: a national, a provincial, and a local sphere. Not all states in the world
have three spheres of government. The 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South
Africa sets out the powers and the utilitarian value of each sphere of government.
South Africa has nine provinces. Each province has its own legislative, executive and
judicial government institutions. Within the borders of each of the provinces, there are
numerous local authorities, each with its own legislative and executive institutions. It
is a known fact that the closer a government institution is to the society it serves, the
easier it is to deliver needs-oriented services.
SCOPE) POSSIBLE EXAM QUESTIONS AND FULL ESSAY FORM ASNWERS.
Questions discussed in this document:
Page 2
• Use concepts like “needs”, “society” and “services” to answer the question: What is public administration?
• In a detailed essay, define the concept “government” and analyse various forms of government. It is expected
of you to also refer to the different spheres of government in South Africa. Support your answers with relevant
examples.
Page 3
• The concept of “good life”
• The “good life” as an individual issue.
• The “good life” as a group issue.
• Who is responsible for protecting “the good life” in a specific state?
• Explain how “development” is linked to “the good life”. Support your answer with an example.
Page 4
• Discuss the public services that are provided to society
Page 5
• Explain the meaning of the following concepts: Social contract, Milieu, Demography, Community, State, Needs,
Society
Page 6
• Define the concept “social contract”
• Discuss the history of the social contract with specific reference to the work of Thomas Hobbes, John Locke
and Jean Jacques Rousseau.
Page 7
• Define the concept “demography”
• A society is influenced by many factors in its milieu. Describe in detail the 5 factors.
Page 8
• Explain the characteristics of each of the following public services. Support your answer with examples. (a)
Individual services (b) Quasi-collective services (c) Collective services
Page 9
• Describe why the constitution of the RSA of SA of 1996 is a contemporary example of a social contract, by
referring to the historical prelude of the Constitution of the RSA of 1996.
• Describe why the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) is a contemporary example
of a social contract.
Page 10
• Discuss the nature of reciprocal rights and obligations between individuals, society and the government.
Provide examples to support your answer.
Page 11
• The relationship between the state, country and its citizens (diagram)
• The relationship between the public, community, citizens, society and the state (diagram)
• What is the difference between a competitive free market and a self-regulating free market?
Page 12
• The government is involved in providing collective-, quasi-collective – and individuals services. Analyse and
six (6) criteria to determine whether government should become involved in the provision of individual
services.
• (Includes the Criterion of competitive market)
, Use concepts like “needs”, “society” and “services” to answer the question:
What is public administration?
Public administration is satisfying the needs (something that is necessary or essential
to people; poverty or a lack of something; people’s inner desire for something, for
example people have a need for freedom) of society (a collection of people within a
particular geographic area consisting of a number of communities and individuals each
with their own particular needs) within the borders of a specific state by the provision
of certain public services (an organized system of labour and material aids used to
supply the need of the public) by the authorities at all spheres of government.
In a detailed essay, define the concept “government” and analyse various forms
of government. It is expected of you to also refer to the different spheres of
government in South Africa. Support your answers with relevant examples.
Government: The term ‘government’ refers to all the people and public institutions
who exercise authority in and on behalf of a state. Government sets and administers
public policy and exercises executive political and sovereignty power through customs,
institutions and laws at various levels of government.
Forms of government: Forms of government have to do with the actions of
government. Two broad categories may be distinguished, namely democratic forms of
government and nondemocratic forms of government. Democratic forms of
government are characterised by the principles of popular sovereignty, political
equality, equality of the people, consultation with the people and majority government.
Examples of democratic forms of government include ideal democracy and limited
democracy
Non-democratic forms of government are characterised by the fact that the principles
present in democracies are absent to varying degrees. Examples of non-democratic
forms of government include oligarchies/dictatorships, totalitarianism and perfect
totalitarianism.
Spheres of government: The South African state has 3 different spheres of
government: a national, a provincial, and a local sphere. Not all states in the world
have three spheres of government. The 1996 Constitution of the Republic of South
Africa sets out the powers and the utilitarian value of each sphere of government.
South Africa has nine provinces. Each province has its own legislative, executive and
judicial government institutions. Within the borders of each of the provinces, there are
numerous local authorities, each with its own legislative and executive institutions. It
is a known fact that the closer a government institution is to the society it serves, the
easier it is to deliver needs-oriented services.
