Abstract
The persistence of the idea of the 'seven dwarfs' in the fairly thin soil of Commonwealth Public Service (CPS) history testifies to its usefulness - although just as the actual composition of the group remains a matter for debate, so does the question of their significance continue to prompt varied interpretations. In a general sense, the term is well enough understood. The expression, 'seven dwarfs', refers to the careers and characteristics of a group of men who secured great influence and authority within and around the CPS from the 1940s until, in some cases, well into the 1980s. They represented a marked expansion in the reach, standing and professionalism of public policy in Australia. They are also a neat encapsulation of 'the new mandarins' - a wider company of senior bureaucrats - who rose to prominence in that period, and were associated with a distinct ethic of independence and authority.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | The Seven Dwarfs and the Age of the Mandarins: Australian Government Administration in the Post-war Reconstruction Era |
Editors | Samuel Furphy |
Place of Publication | Canberra |
Publisher | ANU Press |
Pages | 3-30 |
Volume | 1 |
Edition | 1 |
ISBN (Print) | 9781925022339 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2015 |