One of the key characteristics of the civil service is

Answer Details

One of the key characteristics of the civil service is anonymity. This principle means that civil servants work behind the scenes and are not publicly identified with the policies or decisions of the government. The minister or political head takes public credit or blame for the actions of the ministry, while the civil servants who advise and implement those policies remain anonymous.

Anonymity serves several important purposes. It protects civil servants from political backlash, enabling them to give frank and impartial advice without fear of public criticism. It also supports the principle of ministerial responsibility, under which the minister is accountable to the legislature and the public for everything that happens in the ministry.

Mediocrity, corruption, and favouritism are all negative traits that contradict the ideals of a professional civil service. The civil service is expected to operate on principles of merit, integrity, impartiality, neutrality, and anonymity. These principles are what distinguish a professional bureaucracy from a patronage-based system.