Download The Federal Bureaucracy

The Federal Bureaucracy
I. Why Bureaucracy?
II The Development of Bureaucracy in
II.
America
III The Organization of the
Bureaucracyy
IV. Who Controls the Bureaucracy?
V Bureaucracy
V.
B
and
d the
h Size
Si off
Government
Why Bureaucracy?
“ “Bureaucrat” a pejorative term
“ Yet
Y t wantt governmentt tto protect
t t
in US
th
the
environment, ensure auto safety, keep
terrorist off our planes, etc.
“ To do so need to form bureaucracies
Max Weber’s
Weber s Principles of Bureaucracy…
“ Hierarchical, division of labor, impersonal,
following defined/abstract rules, striving for
specified goals
“
“ As
government expands, bureaucracy
expands
“ So American’s have a “love-hate”
relationship
p with bureaucracyy
Development of Bureaucracy
in America
“ Spoils
System: winning party
pp
supporters
pp
to government
g
appointed
positions
“ Assassination
“ Pendleton
of J
James Garfield ((1881))
Act (1883): Civil Service
Reform (Merit System)
“ Hatch Act (1939): Prohibition on
P liti l A
Political
Activities
ti iti
“ Revised
in 1993; now more “no politics
while
hil on duty”
d t ”
Organization
g
of the Federal
Bureaucracy
“ Only
about 15 percent in Washington area.
“ More than 25 percent of the civilian
employees work for military; another 30
percent work for the Postal Service.
p
“ Less than 10 percent work for welfare
g
agencies.
“ Diverse group more demographically
p
of the nation than
representative
politicians.
“ Most are white-collar workers: secretaries,,
clerks, lawyers, inspectors, and...
ENGINEERS!!!!
Organization of the Federal
Bureaucracyy
“ Cabinet
Departments (e.g., State,
Commerce, Education)
“ Independent
p
Agencies
g
((e.g.,
g , NASA,, CIA,,
EPA)
“ Independent Regulatory Commissions
(e.g., Federal Reserve, SEC, FCC, FTC)
“ Government
G
tC
Corporations
ti
(
(e.g.,
US P
Postal
t l
Service, Corporation for Public
B
Broadcasting,
d ti
TVA FDIC)
TVA,
Size of the
Bureaucracy
Who Controls the Bureaucracy?
“ Congress
“ Budget
g
“ Oversight
“ President
“ Budget
(Office of Management and
Budget)
“ Appointments (with Senate)
“ Courts
C
t
“ Administrative
law courts
Bureaucratic Autonomy
“ Agency
“
Regulation
g
and Administrative Discretion
“ Agency
“
Control
Interests
Bureaucratic Culture and Bureaucratic
Capture
“ Political
“
Alliances
Iron Triangles and Issue Networks
Bureaucrats are not just referees, but
active players in the political game!
Bureaucracy and the Size of
Government
Q: Can the size of the bureaucracy be
controlled?
In many respects...NO!
“ Shift to State and Local Government
“ Federal Spending
p
g Largely
g y
Uncontrollable
“ Federal Spending has Not Increased
Much Relative to Overall Economy
“Iron Triangles”
Public and other
interests largely
g y
blocked out….
Growth of State & Local Bureaucracyy
Discretionary and Non-Discretionary
Federal Spending, 2008
Non-Defense
Discretionary
Discretionary,
16%
Security
(Defense,
Homeland,,
International
Affairs), 24%
Social Security,
21%
Medicare, 13%
Medicaid, 7%
Entitlements &
Other Mandatory,
12.9%
Interest Payments
on National Debt,,
9%
OMB, Budget of the United States Government, Fiscal Year 2008
Federal Spending as a percentage of GDP
50.0
45.0
40.0
% of GDP
35 0
35.0
30.0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10 0
10.0
5.0
0.0
Source: Census Bureau
Bureau, Statistical Abstract of the United States
From Burns Figure 11-3
American Government Exam #1
20
18
# of studnts receivingTitle
e
16
14
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
A (68‐75)
B (60‐67)
C (53‐59)
D (45‐52)
AVG 57 0 (76 1%)
AVG = 57.0 (76.1%) Median M di = 57.5 (76.7%)
57 5 (76 7%)
F (44 or less)