What is Bureaucracy?
An organization structured hierarchically to carry out specific functions.
What is a bureaucracy?
Bureaucracies divide work into specialized roles and use a chain of command.
Major service organizations directly accountable to the president.
What are cabinet departments?
These include departments like State, Defense, and Education.
People chosen by the president for government positions.
What are political appointees?
Often used to reward loyalty or support.
Carrying out laws and policies.
What is implementation?
Bureaucracies turn laws into real-world action.
Rules created to control behavior or industries.
What is regulation?
What type of organization can be considered a bureaucracy besides government?
What are large private organizations?
Corporations like Amazon or hospitals are also bureaucracies—they have hierarchy and specialization.
An agency not within a department but reporting to the president.
What is an independent executive agency?
Examples include NASA and the CIA.
Government employees hired based on merit.
What are civil servants?
They are career professionals, not political hires.
After a law is passed, bureaucratic agencies must do this before it can actually be implemented.
What is define rules, procedures, and details?
Laws passed by Congress are often vague. Bureaucracies have to fill in the specifics—like how the law will work, who enforces it, and what the rules actually are. This is a big source of their power.
When agencies serve the industries they regulate.
What is agency capture?
Instead of protecting the public, they favor businesses.
2.9 million
What is how many people work in the federal bureaucracy (excluding military)?
Large and complex
An agency that creates and enforces rules to protect the public.
What is an independent regulatory agency?
hese regulate industries like finance or communications.
A system where jobs were given based on political loyalty.
What was the spoils system?
“To the victor go the spoils”—rewarding supporters.
A requirement without funding.
What is an unfunded mandate?
Agencies must act but lack resources—leading to problems.
Rules that require strict compliance.
What is command-and-control regulation?
Government sets a rule and demands obedience.
Percentage of civilian jobs are government jobs
What is 15%?
A government-run business providing services.
What is a government corporation?
Think USPS or Amtrak—government acting like a business.
Created the merit system for hiring government workers.
What is the Pendleton Act do?
Shifted hiring from politics to qualifications.
Bureaucrats using judgment in applying laws.
What is administrative discretion?
This gives bureaucrats real power in policymaking.
Using incentives to encourage compliance.
What is market-based regulation?
Instead of forcing behavior, it rewards it.
Two programs that make up a large portion of federal social spending
What are are Social Security and Medicare?
These programs alone account for a huge share of federal spending.
A business created by government but partly owned by private investors.
What is a government-sponsored enterprise?
Blends public purpose with private funding.
Restrict political activities of federal employees.
What is the Hatch Act?
Prevents government workers from engaging in partisan campaigning.
When multiple agencies share authority over an issue.
What is fragmented responsibility?
Leads to confusion and inefficiency.
Reducing government rules.
What is deregulation?
Often done to promote economic growth.