mandarin at the top and citizen-disdaining below

[keitra]

What does 'mandarin at the top and citizen-disdaining below' mean in 'Two-thirds of the nation believes the public services in general perform well'\even the arrogant civil service, mandarin at the top and citizen-disdaining below.'?

[rekstout]

A mandarin was a high level civil servant in pre-communist China. It is used in a modern context to describe a high ranking civil servant who is out of touch with the modern world.

I presume the "citizen-disdaining below" are asid mandarin's subordinates who care little for the people they purport to serve.

I would guess that the entire sentence refers to Mr Blair and his cabinet.