Bureaucracy A systematic and hierarchical organization
in government established to develop and implement policies and regulations in relation to enacted legislation
Principles Hierarchical Authority
Pyramid structure Job Specialization
Division of labor; specific duties and responsibilities for each individual position
Rules and Regulations Established regulations and procedures for facilitation
Development of the Federal Bureaucracy
Early Constitutional Period Small number of agencies and positions Selection based on qualifications and political affiliation
Antebellum Period Jackson and the spoils system
Late 19th Century Reform movements Pendleton Act/Civil Service Act of 1883
Merit system, competitive exams; limited partisan politics Established Civil Service Commission to enforce
Modern Bureaucracy Agencies grew substantially due to New Deal programs, cooperative
federalism Hatch Act (1939)
Limited political activities on duty, use of position for campaigns Civil Service Reform Act of 1978
Established Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Established government employee classifications and salaries, training and
recruitment programs Protection of whistleblowers
Growth of Modern Bureaucracy
Power and Justification Evolving Government for Evolving World
Technological development, efficient communication, world affairs, globalization require increased diligence and vigilance
Buddy System Agencies may request to fill a position and specifically
name an individual for the job Difficulty of Termination
Numerous steps to ultimately fire a government employee
Official record of chronic behavior, substantial evidence, public hearings, viable witnesses, right of due process, appeals
Federal Bureaucracy Organization
Executive Departments Cabinet-level executive agencies established for
specific policy areas Independent Executive Agencies
Established for policy areas but regarded more as think tanks, analysis, and information
Some major administrative agencies Independent Regulatory Agencies
Agencies that regulate and police; enforcers of legislation
Administrative legislation Government Corporations
Business-like agencies usually providing goods and services
The Executive Departments
Dept. of State Foreign affairs
Dept. of Treasury Prints currency; collects
revenue/taxes; IRS Dept. of Defense Dept. of Justice
FBI; ATF; DEA Dept. of Interior
Federal land and natural resources; native relations and territory administration
Dept. of Agriculture Dept. of Commerce Dept. of Labor
Dept. of Health and Human Services
Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
Dept. of Transportation Dept. of Energy Dept. of Education Dept. of Veterans’
Affairs Dept. of Homeland
Security Coast Guard, ICE, Secret
Service
Independent Executive Agencies
Small Business Administration (SBA) Promote small businesses and economic
recovery Social Security Administration (SSA)
Social security checks and applications National Aeronautic and Space
Administration (NASA) Air and space exploration and technology
Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Foreign policy information; espionage
Independent Regulatory Agencies
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Prevent monopolies; consumer protection
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Securities, stocks, bonds, commodity trading
Federal Reserve Monetary policy
National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Federal Elections Commission (FEC) Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
Civil aviation Environmental Protection Agency Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
Employee safety and working standards Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
Government Corporations
Tennessee Valley Authority AMTRAK (National Railroad Passenger
Corporation) United States Postal Service (USPS)
Mail delivery Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
(FDIC) Government enterprises
Fannie Mae Freddie Mac
Bureaucrats as Policymakers Iron Triangles
Bureaucratic AgencyBureaucratic Agency Receive increased power Receive increased power
and appropriationsand appropriations Congressional CommitteeCongressional Committee
Receive electoral support Receive electoral support and campaign contributionsand campaign contributions
Interest GroupsInterest Groups Interests satisfiedInterests satisfied
Designed for mutual benefit Issue Networks
Congressional StaffCongressional Staff Experts/ProfessorsExperts/Professors Interest GroupsInterest Groups Mass MediaMass Media Designed for the benefit of
public interest
Controlling the Bureaucrats
Congress Authorization
Permitting funds by related committees Appropriations
Determination of amount allocated by Appropriations Committee
Oversight Supervision and investigations by committees
Legislative Authority Pass laws to limit or terminate an agency
Supreme Court Rule a policy/law/executive action
unconstitutional
Bureaucratic Issues/Problems Red Tape
Complex rules and procedures to accomplish tasks “Make sure the government is being equal and just.” ‘Too much paperwork. Slows down process. Frustrating for constituents.’
Conflict Rivalries between agencies on similar policies ‘Sometimes the goal/objective is overlooked by competition.’
Duplication Agencies performing same or similar tasks “Congress doesn’t know what it’s doing, but they made the laws so we
follow them.”
Imperialism Increase of agency’s power and influence no matter the cost “We interpreted the vague law as best we could and developed our
policies in accordance. Tell Congress to write clearer laws.”
Waste Inefficient use of funding and manpower; spending too much “Why lower costs? We’re the government. There’s plenty.” ‘Lining the pockets of bureaucrats and lobbyists.’