Transcript THE BUREAUCRACY Bureaucracies are everywhere . .. What is a Bureaucracy? • Bureaucracy is based on the principles of hierarchical authority, job specialization, and formal rules •

THE BUREAUCRACY
Bureaucracies are everywhere .
..
What is a Bureaucracy?
• Bureaucracy is based
on the principles of
hierarchical authority,
job specialization, and
formal rules
• A bureaucracy is a
way of organizing
people to do work
Major Elements
• Nearly all of the
bureaucracy of the
federal Government
resides in the
Executive Branch of
government
• The Constitution
gives little guidance
about the structure of
the federal
bureaucracy
Major Elements
• The bureaucracy is
made up of three
major groups of
administrative
agencies: the
Executive Office of
the President; the 15
Cabinet Departments;
and the Independent
Agencies
The Name Game
• The term department is reserved for
agencies of cabinet rank
• The term agency is used to refer to any
governmental body or, more particularly, to
a major unit headed by a single
administrator of near-cabinet status. The
term administration is used in a similar
way
The Name Game
• The term commission is given to
agencies charged with the regulation of
business activities. Commissions are
headed by varying numbers of topranking officers, or commissioners.
• The terms corporation and authority are
used for agencies that have a board
and a manager and that conduct
business-like activities.
The Bureaucrats
A.
Bureaucratic Agencies
1.
2.
3.
Each agency is created by Congress- which sets its
budget and writes the policies it administers.
Most are responsible to the President as hinted to in the
Constitution.
Key problem– How to manage and control?
B. Some Bureaucratic Myths
1.
2.
3.
4.
Americans dislike bureaucrats.
Bureaucracies are growing bigger each year.
Most federal bureaucrats work in Washington, D.C.
Bureaucracies are ineffective, inefficient and always mired
in red tape.
The Bureaucrats
C. The Realities
1. Possess crucial info and expertise to make
them partners in forming policy with Congress
and President.
2. Perform vital services provided by the fed.
Govt.
3. Despite complaints, majority of tasks carried
out by governments at all levels are
noncontroversial.
4. Perform variety of routine tasks in an
expectable manner.
5. Due to expertise they have some discretion
when carrying out policy decisions.
The Bureaucrats
• Who They Are and How They Got There
– Most demographically representative part of
government.
– Diversity of jobs mirrors the private sector.
Figure 15.2
The Roots and Development of the
Federal Bureaucracy
• In 1789, George
Washington headed a
federal bureaucracy of
three departments:
– State, War, and Treasury.
• The government grew as
needs arose. In general,
the government grew most
during national crises and
times of war.
– The Civil War
– National Efforts to Regulate
the Economy
The Civil War
• The Civil War (1861-65)
permanently changed the
nature of the federal
bureaucracy.
• Thousands of employees were
added in order to mount the
war effort.
• After the Civil War, demands
on the government continued
to grow. The government
needed to pay pensions to
veterans and the injured from
the war.
• Legal issues became pressing
so the Justice Department was
created.
The New Deal and WWII
• FDR faced high
unemployment and weak
financial markets during
the Great Depression.
• In order to face the
economic crisis, FDR
created large numbers of
federal agencies and
many federal programs
(AAA, NIRA, CCC).
• WWII (like the Civil War
and WWI) also caused
the national government
to grow.
The Modern Bureaucracy
• Governments exist for the public good not for
profit.
• Government leaders are driven by reelection
(and thus accountability) goals while
businesspeople are out to increase their
share prices on Wall Street. Businesses get
money from customers, government gets it
from taxpayers.
• To whom bureaucrats are responsible: to the
president? To Congress? to the people?
How Bureaucracies Are Organized
A. The Cabinet
Departments
1.
2.
3.
15 Cabinet departments
headed by a secretary
except the Department of
Justice which is headed
by the Attorney General.
Appointed by the
president with the
approval of the Senate.
Each has its own budget,
staff and policy areas
Bureaus in each
department is where
business gets done.
Department of
Homeland Security
How Bureaucracies Are Organized
B. The Regulatory Agencies
1. Independent
Regulatory Agency:
Responsible for some
sector of the economy
making rules and
judging disputes to
protect the public
interest.
2. Headed by a
commission of 5-10
people– cannot be
fired by the President.
3. Rule making is an
important function
watched by interest
groups and citizens
alike. About 150 IRAs.
How Bureaucracies Are
Organized
C. The Government
Corporations
Business like – provide
services like private
companies and typically
charge for their services.
a. Postal Service,
Amtrak, Tennessee
Valley Authority
2. Typically cheaper rates
than private sector
because they are not that
profitable.
1.
How Bureaucracies Are Organized
D. Independent Executive
Agencies
1. The agencies that
don’t fit in anywhere
else BUT are
specialized agencies.
Usually perform a
service function.
a. CIA,GSA, EPA
and NASA
2. Administrators are
presidential
appointments.
How Bureaucracies Are Organized
E. Independent Regulatory
Commissions
• IRCs exist to regulate a
specific economic activity or
interest such as the National
Labor Relations Board or
Securities and Exchange
Commission.
• 10 independent commissions
are largely not under
President’s control.
• Must be made up from both
parties and members cannot
be removed for political
reasons.
Making Agencies
Accountable
Is the bureaucracy accountable and if so to
whom?
The president has the
authority to:
appoint and remove agency
heads
reorganize the bureaucracy
make changes in budget
proposals
ignore initiatives from the
bureaucracy
issue executive orders
reduce an agency's budget
Congress has the
authority to:
The judiciary has the
power to:
pass legislation that alters an rule on whether the
agency's functions
bureaucracy has acted
within the law
abolish existing programs
investigate bureaucratic
activities
influence presidential
appointments
write legislation to limit
bureaucratic discretion
rule on constitutionality
force respect for the
rights of individuals
through hearings
Understanding Bureaucracies
Figure 15.5