1. POLI 102: August 8, 2017
Lecture # 13: The Bureaucracy

2. Bureaucracy
The bureaucracy is sometimes called the fourth branch of government.
It is generally appointed by elected officials or other higher ranking bureaucrats, and is less influenced by party politics and elections.
Indeed, some parts of the governmental bureaucracy are almost independent of the political process.

3. Why is bureaucracy so frustrating?
What have your interactions with bureaucrats been like?
Why are they often frustrating?
Consumers have less influence
Money comes from lawmakers not consumers
Bad apples are harder to get rid of.
Little competition
Public good provision
Hierarchical systems that often leave little room for flexibility.
Laws often have particular actions or policies that cannot be altered.
Bureaucrats often provide routine or mundane services rather than fun ones (we can’t get coffee, pizza, or tvs from bureaucrats)
Depending on the country, corruption can be a big problem.
Oftentimes, anti-corruption is a reason for little flexibility.

4. Patronage
The establishment of bureaucracy was a result of a number of governmental reforms, particularly in the 19th century.
The gov’t. needed skilled people who could carry out directives over longer periods of time.
Generate consistency
Develop expertise
Be free from “political” concerns
Patronage system was largely phased out
Jobs within the government had been a key political tool that politicians could use to influence voters and other politicians
Replaced with career service bureaucrats and merit-based entry

5. How to Influence Bureaucracy?
Ombudsman
Bureaucrat whose job is to represent citizens and fix abuse
Freedom of Information Laws
Give people the right to sue for exposure and transparency
Political leaders can interfere
Public opinion pressure
Often the very worst bureaucracies are jails, immigration services, because the people they affect have little to no ability to influence the public or politics.

6. Levels of Delegation
In general, bureaucracies will be given more control when:
Policies are complicated
When transaction costs are low, legislators will attempt to write detailed legislation.
Expertise not needed.
Politicians don’t really want a hand in what is done.
They don’t care
It’s unpopular