Summary:

New Public Management (NPM) is a mixed wave of reforms aimed primarily at improving efficiency, though the theory and practice of these reforms are somewhat divergent. The focus of this paper is on NPM and democracy: Is NPM strengthening or weakening democracy, political control and especially the influence of people? In addressing this question we discuss four theoretical models of the state. Under the "centralized state model" the people empower politicians through elections to design and control the political-administrative system. "The institutional state model" emphasizes the cultural aspects of the system and the "logic of appropriateness", integration and collectivity. "The corporatist state model" focuses on the close integration between the state and interest groups, while "the supermarket state" regards the state primarily as a provider of services responding to the demands of consumers or users. We contrast these models with one another, focusing particularly on their relevance for some of the main elements of NPM and on how they represent the interests of people in different ways in their status as citizens or as consumers. One important theme of the discussion is the question of accountability and responsibility.