Is Public Value Pluralism Paramount? The Intrinsic Multiplicity and Hybridity of Public Values

Abstract

In current debates on public values too often the assumption is made that unitary conceptions exist of what “public values” are, and that one universal set of classical public core values guides administrative behaviour throughout the public sector. Studies show, however, that it is very hard to classify specific values and denote their exact meaning, and, moreover, that some of the classical public values show signs of multiplicity, hybridity, and conflict, both internally and in relation to one another. This article tries to enrich the current debate on public values by aligning the values literature to the literature on multiplicity, hybridity, and competing values. It shows that the plural conceptions that exist with regard to what exactly constitutes public value and public interest have implications for governance strategies, which should take this value pluralism as a starting point.