Bureaucracy- it’s hard to say and hard to make it efficient!

What is bureaucracy and what does it look like in the U.S.?

• Bureaucracy-an organization with hierarchical structure and specific responsibilities that operates on management principles intended to enhance efficiency and effectiveness. In government, it refers to departments and agencies in the executive branch.

• Department- any of the 15 major government agencies responsible for specific policy area whose heads are usually called secretaries and serve in the president’s cabinet. (Ex- Dept of Defense)

• Independent agencies- federal agencies with narrow responsibilities for a specific policy issue not covered by one of the 15 federal departments. (Ex- Peace Corps)

• Independent regulatory agencies- organizational entities in the federal government that are not under the control of the president or a department. (Ex- Federal Communications Commission)

• Government Corporations- agencies with independent boards and the means to generate revenue through sales of products and services, fees, or insurance premiums, and which are intended to run like private corporations. (Ex- US Postal Service)

So how have these offices evolved?• We started with 4 departments (war, state, justice,

treasury) we now have 15 departments• Over time the number of employees of the federal

government has grown from a few hundred to a current level of about 2.9 million.

Journal Writing

• Why did the amount of federal employees drop from 3.9 million to 2.1 million?

• Why do you think the federal government has grown so much?

How do we get all these Departments?• Agencies become departments when

the issues they deal with become relevant to Americans who put pressure upon the government to recognize their importance.– Ex-Veterans Affairs became a

Department in late 1980’s when many WWII and Korean war veterans were demanding more services

– Ex- Homeland Security is our most recent department and was added after 9/11 to better consolidate America’s response to internal and external threats

What does a Department look like?

What are the advantages of having bureaucracies implement laws?

• Standardization- benefits and services can be provided in a standardized manner to everyone in the US

• Expertise and competence- Bureaucrats are hired into what they know and are able to give advice on policy issues on that subject. (What does congress know about environmental conservation? They’re a bunch of lawyers!)

• Accountability- Bureaucrats are responsible for their funds and their area of expertise.

• Coordination- Working with leaders of these departments allows the president to impact policy throughout the country quickly

Some questionable practices of the past.• Over 100 years ago government officials were hired and fired

depending on their support for a particular political party or candidate. This system is called the patronage or spoils system.

• This system was practiced by President Andrew Jackson first who felt it was democratic, “to the victor goes the spoils”

• Problems? Abrupt changes, unqualified people, workers steered resources to fellow party members

• Solution?– Civil Service System- government employment system in which employees

are hired on the basis of their qualifications and cannot be fired merely for belonging to the wrong political party; originated with the federal Pendleton Act in 1883 and expanded at other levels of government in the half-century that followed. Qualifications are usually exam based.

– Hatch Act- federal law that limits the participation of federal government employees in political campaigns to protect them from feeling obligated to donate money or work for political candidates

Possible Reforms

• Decentralization- reform intended to increase efficiency in administration and create closer contacts with the local public; permits regional and local offices to manage their own performances without close supervision from headquarters.

• Privatization- turning portions of govt bureaucracy responsibilities over to private organizations on the assumption that they can administer and deliver services more effectively and inexpensively.

How does bureaucracy effect policy?• Iron Triangles- the tight relationship between

employees in government agencies, interest groups, and legislators and their staff members, all of whom share an interest in specific policy issues and work together behind the scenes to shape laws and public policy Government agency

LegislatorsInterest Groups

Who holds Bureaucracies Accountable?

• Bureaucracies must answer to the President, congressional oversight committees, and the Supreme Court. All three branches can take different actions.

• An employee who reports or reveals misconduct by government officials is called a whistleblower.

• Whistleblower Protection Act- a federal law intended to prevent employees in the bureaucracy from being punished for reporting or revealing governmental misconduct.