1. The Federal Bureaucracy
Chapter 13: Wilson
AP Government and Politics
Why is the Bureaucracy sometimes considered the “fourth branch” of government?
Homework:
Assignment 11

2. What is a “bureaucracy”?
We know the second half of the word, “cracy” means “to rule”.
And “bureau” is a French word for “desk”…
So together, the word bureau-cracy literally means “to rule from a desk”.
The idea is that government workers, who often work at desks, are essentially “ruling us”…
Why might this be controversial?

3. What is a “bureaucracy”?
A large, complex group organized according to a certain structure

4. The Federal “B’ucy” Divided into 3 basic parts
Executive (Cabinet) departments
Independent Executive Agencies
The Executive Office of the President

5. How is the US federal bureaucracy different than other nations?
Separation of powers – 2 masters…
System of Federalism – work with state/local gov, don’t just tell them what to do
“Adversary” culture – citizens can sue and have input regarding regulations and actions taken by the bucy
Scope and size – larger than in most nations; but regulatory and not ownership in nature
Which of these do you think is most important characteristic to….?
The President and other political executives?
The public at large?

7. Growth and Size of the Bureaucracy
Consider: Is a “lifetime” bureaucrat a good thing?
Growth and Size of the Bureaucracy
Chapter 13: Wilson
AP Government and Politics
Assignment 12 for Thursday

8. Quotes on Bureaucracy
There’s a new game that's sweeping the country. It's called "Bureaucracy" Everybody stands in a circle. The first person to do anything loses.
“The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is its inefficiency.”
“In any bureaucracy, paper work increases as you spend more and more time reporting on the less and less you are doing”
“Bureaucracy is the art of making the possible impossible”

9. The “Rules” of Bureaucracy
Preserve thyself.
It is easier to fix the blame than to fix the problem.
A penny saved is an oversight.
Information deteriorates upward.
The first 90% of the task takes 90% of the time; the last 10% takes the other 90%.
Experience is what you get just after you need it.
For any given large, complex, hard-to-understand, expensive problem, there exists at least one short, simple, easy, cheap wrong answer.
Anything that can be changed will be, until time runs out.
To err is human; to shrug is civil service.
There’s never enough time to do it right, but there’s always enough time to do it over.
Murphy’s Law: If anything can go wrong, it will.
O’Toole’s Corollary – Murphy was an optimist.

10. The Bureaucrats Some Bureaucratic Myths and Realities
Americans dislike bureaucrats.
Americans are generally satisfied with bureaucrats.
Bureaucracies are growing bigger each year.
Not the federal bureaucracy.
Most federal bureaucrats work in Washington, D.C.
Only about 12 percent do.
Bureaucracies are ineffective, inefficient, and always mired in red tape.
No more so than private businesses.

11. Bureaucratic Growth The Founding to Civil War
Not created by the Constitution
Begins small, only to perform the basic functions of government, and the post office
As nation grows, Bucy grows with it.
Patronage
Remains focused on service, as opposed to regulatory function
Era of Reform – Civil War to 1930s
Civil War demonstrates need for better or more organized bucy; industrialization also increases need
Over 200,000 employees added between New departments created
Progressive Movement advocates for an end to patronage
Pendleton Act creates merit-based system for hiring
belief that ultimate power still rests with Congress to write rules
Modern Era – Post WWII to present
Growth until about 1960, then fed remains at about 3-4 million direct employees
Focused on regulating areas of the economy and society
Congress has delegated tremendous authority to these agencies

12. Bureaucratic Growth

13. Working for “the Man”… Who are the “’crats”? Types of jobs:
Directly (bucy; about 4 million) and indirectly (private companies and contractors; as many as 8-10 million more) employed or funded by the federal government
Types of jobs:
Competitive (general exam by OPM) vs. excepted (hired by agencies for specific jobs) service
Name – request – specific person hired for specific job
The buddy system…good or bad?

14. The Postal Service: A Model of Inefficiency?