The western administrative system first discusses the sources of the western administrative system, that is, the administrative management of the Mediterranean city-states (including the ancient Greek city-states and the Roman Republic) and the Roman Empire, and then analyzes the transitional role of the Frankish Kingdom and the Christian Church in the transformation of the western administrative system from ancient times to the Middle Ages after the demise of the West and the Roman Empire. Next, the Western Administrative System discusses the evolution history of administrative systems in Britain, France, Germany, the United States and Japan by country. Finally, it summarizes the general evolution trend of western administrative system and its enlightenment and reference significance to China's administrative system reform.

Western administrative system adopts the understanding of historical institutionalism, and holds that administrative system includes both formal rules and informal procedures, norms and practices.

Based on the above definitions of administration and system, the western administrative system thinks that administrative system is a series of rules, procedures, norms and practices formed by public administrative organs. The administrative system involved in this paper includes administrative organization, administrative function, personnel management and financial management within administrative organization, administrative responsibility, administrative decision-making, intergovernmental relations and so on.