Why Our Deputies Keep Believing the Bureaucracy
Guernsey’s political structure allows the Civil Service to dominate policymaking, despite repeated failures. Senior Deputies, even those who should know better, continue to trust civil servants. Why?
The Authority Trap
Milgram’s obedience experiments demonstrated that people defer to authority figures, even when evidence suggests they shouldn’t. The Civil Service presents itself as the repository of knowledge, while Deputies are temporary and often inexperienced in governance. This imbalance breeds dependency, where Deputies assume bureaucrats are competent by default.
Controlled Information
Civil servants manage the flow of information. Deputies receive only what the bureaucracy deems necessary. Reports are laden with technical jargon and ambiguous conclusions. The Agilisys contract debacle is a case study of this manipulation—vague language, undefined outcomes, and an illusion of inevitability left Deputies with little room to object.
Lack of Political Expertise
Guernsey lacks professional politicians. Most Deputies enter office without specialist knowledge of procurement, finance, or IT. Faced with complex civil service briefings, many simply accept what they are told. Questioning the bureaucracy risks appearing uninformed, so few do.
Bureaucratic Groupthink
Deputies operate within a civil service-dominated structure, encouraging alignment rather than scrutiny. Consensus government means no ministerial accountability. Failures are absorbed, blame is diffused, and the cycle repeats. The lack of an Ombudsperson allows mismanagement to persist without independent oversight.
Self-Preservation at All Costs
The Civil Service, like all bureaucracies, exists to protect itself. When failures occur, the narrative is managed to deflect scrutiny. The Agilisys contract was sold as a necessity—one preferred bidder, no viable alternatives. Even when the flaws were obvious, Deputies fell in line.
Breaking the Cycle
Until Guernsey introduces independent oversight of the civil service, this pattern will continue. Deputies must reject blind deference and demand full transparency. The public does not elect civil servants; it elects Deputies to govern. That distinction must be restored.