The ‘Bringing The State Back In’ debate is hinges on the premise that contemporary developments have eroded the way the state functions and its methods of governing. There is now considerable impact of the private sector in public administration and also need to recognize the role of other non-state actors (example; civil society and markets) in the process of public service delivery.

This perspective is contested as some authors argue that despite the considerable changes in the way the state functions and in methods of governing; the state and its institutions have not been eroded but they have been transformed and are still predominant in the governance of society. The State’s role is to organise political power for the purposes of governance and cannot be reduced to being a pro-market, pro-capitalism institution. Thus, there is need to bring the state back in in issues of governance and public administration