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Chapter FifteenChapter Fifteen

The BureaucracyThe Bureaucracy

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American BureaucracyAmerican Bureaucracy BureaucracyBureaucracy--a large, complex organization a large, complex organization

composed of appointed officials.composed of appointed officials. Complex, meaning that authority is divided among Complex, meaning that authority is divided among

several managers; no one person is able to make all several managers; no one person is able to make all the decisions.the decisions.

Examples: large corporations, big universities, gov’t Examples: large corporations, big universities, gov’t agencies.agencies.

Political authority over bureaucracy is not in the Political authority over bureaucracy is not in the hands of one, but shared among several institutions.hands of one, but shared among several institutions.

Most agencies share functions with related state Most agencies share functions with related state and local agencies.and local agencies.

Creates an “adversary culture” where personal Creates an “adversary culture” where personal rights are expanded through lawsuits and political rights are expanded through lawsuits and political action.action.

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Proxy GovernmentProxy Government ““Government by proxyGovernment by proxy”--refers to the ”--refers to the

practice of the federal government practice of the federal government paying state and local governments and paying state and local governments and private groups to staff and administer private groups to staff and administer federal programs.federal programs. The war in Iraq and Hurricane Katrina are The war in Iraq and Hurricane Katrina are

examples of “proxy government” effortsexamples of “proxy government” efforts Critics say this system does not keep track Critics say this system does not keep track

of how the money is used.of how the money is used. Supporters say the system creates flexibility, Supporters say the system creates flexibility,

uses available skills, and upholds federalism.uses available skills, and upholds federalism.

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Growth of the Growth of the BureaucracyBureaucracy

PatronagePatronage in the 19 in the 19thth and early 20 and early 20thth centuries rewarded supporters, centuries rewarded supporters, induced congressional support, and induced congressional support, and built party organizations.built party organizations.

The Civil War showed the The Civil War showed the administrative weakness of the administrative weakness of the federal government and increased federal government and increased demands for civil service reform.demands for civil service reform.

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Growth of the Growth of the BureaucracyBureaucracy

The post-Civil War period saw The post-Civil War period saw industrialization and the emergence industrialization and the emergence of a national economy.of a national economy.

The power of national government to The power of national government to regulate interstate commerce regulate interstate commerce became necessary and controversial.became necessary and controversial.

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Expansion of the Expansion of the BureaucracyBureaucracy

The Depression and World War II led The Depression and World War II led to government activism.to government activism.

The Supreme Court upheld laws that The Supreme Court upheld laws that granted discretion to administrative granted discretion to administrative agencies.agencies.

Heavy use of income taxes Heavy use of income taxes supported war effort and a large supported war effort and a large bureaucracy.bureaucracy.

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The Impact of 9/11The Impact of 9/11

9/11 attacks could also affect the 9/11 attacks could also affect the bureaucracy as profoundly as WWII bureaucracy as profoundly as WWII and the Depression.and the Depression.

A new cabinet agency (Department A new cabinet agency (Department of Homeland Security) was created.of Homeland Security) was created.

Intelligence-gathering activities Intelligence-gathering activities were consolidated under a National were consolidated under a National Intelligence Director.Intelligence Director.

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Growth of the Growth of the Bureaucracy TodayBureaucracy Today

Modest increase in the number of Modest increase in the number of government employees.government employees.

Significant indirect increase in number Significant indirect increase in number of employees through use of private of employees through use of private contractors, state and local government contractors, state and local government employees.employees.

Growth in Growth in discretionary authoritydiscretionary authority-the -the ability to choose courses of action and to ability to choose courses of action and to make policies that are not spelled out in make policies that are not spelled out in advance by laws.advance by laws. See p.410See p.410

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Recruitment and Recruitment and RetentionRetention

Competitive serviceCompetitive service: bureaucrats : bureaucrats compete for jobs through OPM.compete for jobs through OPM.

Appointment by merit based on Appointment by merit based on written exam or through selection written exam or through selection criteria instead of political criteria instead of political favoritism. favoritism.

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Figure 15.1 Characteristics Figure 15.1 Characteristics of Federal Civilian of Federal Civilian

Employees, 1960 and 2004Employees, 1960 and 2004

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Recruitment and Recruitment and RetentionRetention

Competitive service system has become Competitive service system has become more decentralized, less reliant on OPM more decentralized, less reliant on OPM referral.referral.

Excepted serviceExcepted service: bureaucrats : bureaucrats appointed by agencies, typically in a appointed by agencies, typically in a nonpartisan fashion.nonpartisan fashion.

Name-request jobName-request job: job filled by a person : job filled by a person whom an agency has already identified.whom an agency has already identified.

See p.411-412See p.411-412

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Firing a BureaucratFiring a Bureaucrat

Most bureaucrats (civil servants) cannot Most bureaucrats (civil servants) cannot be easily fired, demoted, or suspended. be easily fired, demoted, or suspended. See p.414See p.414

The Senior Executive Service (SES) was The Senior Executive Service (SES) was established to provide the president and established to provide the president and cabinet with more control in personnel cabinet with more control in personnel decisions.decisions.

But very few SES members have actually But very few SES members have actually been fired.been fired.

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Carrying Out PolicyCarrying Out Policy Most bureaucrats try to carry out policy, Most bureaucrats try to carry out policy,

even those they disagree with.even those they disagree with. But bureaucrats do have obstructive But bureaucrats do have obstructive

powers—Whistleblower Protection Act powers—Whistleblower Protection Act (1989) (1989) created the Office of Special Counsel to created the Office of Special Counsel to

investigate complaints from bureaucrats that investigate complaints from bureaucrats that were punished after reporting to Congress were punished after reporting to Congress about waste, fraud, or abuse of their agencies.about waste, fraud, or abuse of their agencies.

Most civil servants have highly structured Most civil servants have highly structured jobs that make their personal attitudes jobs that make their personal attitudes irrelevant.irrelevant.

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Constraints on the Constraints on the BureaucracyBureaucracy

Constraints are much greater on Constraints are much greater on government agencies than on private government agencies than on private bureaucracies.bureaucracies.

Hiring, firing, pay, and other procedures Hiring, firing, pay, and other procedures are established by law, not by the are established by law, not by the market.market.

Constraints come from citizens: agencies Constraints come from citizens: agencies try to respond to citizen demands for try to respond to citizen demands for openness, honesty, and fairness.openness, honesty, and fairness.

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Agency AlliesAgency Allies

Agencies often seek alliances with Agencies often seek alliances with congressional committees and interest congressional committees and interest groups groups (iron triangle).(iron triangle). See p.420See p.420

These alliances are far less common todayThese alliances are far less common today—politics has become too complicated.—politics has become too complicated.

Issue networksIssue networks: groups that regularly : groups that regularly debate government policy on certain debate government policy on certain issues, usually split b/t political, issues, usually split b/t political, ideological, or economic lines.ideological, or economic lines.

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Congressional OversightCongressional Oversight

Congress creates agencies.Congress creates agencies. Congress authorizes funds for programs Congress authorizes funds for programs

through through authorization legislationauthorization legislation.. Congressional Congressional appropriationsappropriations provide provide

funds for the agency to spend on its funds for the agency to spend on its programs.programs.

Legislative vetoesLegislative vetoes require a wait-time require a wait-time on executive decisions.on executive decisions.

Congressional investigations.Congressional investigations.

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Bureaucratic PathologiesBureaucratic Pathologies

Red tapeRed tape: complex, sometimes conflicting : complex, sometimes conflicting rules.rules.

ConflictConflict: agencies work at cross-purposes.: agencies work at cross-purposes. DuplicationDuplication: two or more agencies seem to : two or more agencies seem to

do the same thing.do the same thing. ImperialismImperialism: tendency of agencies to grow, : tendency of agencies to grow,

irrespective of programs’ benefits and costs.irrespective of programs’ benefits and costs. WasteWaste: spending more than is necessary to : spending more than is necessary to

buy some product or service.buy some product or service.

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Reforming the Reforming the BureaucracyBureaucracy

National Performance ReviewNational Performance Review (NPR) in 1993 designed to reinvent (NPR) in 1993 designed to reinvent government calling for less government calling for less centralized management, more centralized management, more employee initiatives, fewer detailed employee initiatives, fewer detailed rules, and more customer rules, and more customer satisfaction.satisfaction.

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Reforming the Reforming the BureaucracyBureaucracy

Most rules and red tape are due to Most rules and red tape are due to struggles between the president and struggles between the president and Congress or to agencies’ efforts to Congress or to agencies’ efforts to avoid alienating influential voters.avoid alienating influential voters.

Periods of divided government Periods of divided government worsen matters, especially in worsen matters, especially in implementing policy.implementing policy.