Chapter 15Chapter 15Government at Government at

Work:Work:The BureaucracyThe Bureaucracy

BureaucracyBureaucracy Bureaucracy - a large, complex administrative structure Bureaucracy - a large, complex administrative structure

that handles the everyday business of an organizationthat handles the everyday business of an organization Bureaucrat – a Bureaucrat – a

person who works person who works

for the organizationfor the organization

Three features of Three features of BureaucracyBureaucracy

Hierarchical authority – built as a Hierarchical authority – built as a pyramid with a chain of command pyramid with a chain of command running from the top to the bottomrunning from the top to the bottom

Job specialization – each bureaucrat Job specialization – each bureaucrat has defined duties and has defined duties and responsibilitiesresponsibilities

Formalized rules – works according Formalized rules – works according to an established set of regulationsto an established set of regulations

Benefits of a Benefits of a BureaucracyBureaucracy

Hierarchy speeds action by reducing Hierarchy speeds action by reducing conflicts over who has power to conflicts over who has power to make decisionsmake decisions

Job specialization promotes Job specialization promotes efficiency because each worker has efficiency because each worker has specialized skills and knowledge.specialized skills and knowledge.

Formalized rules allow workers to Formalized rules allow workers to act based on a predictable set of act based on a predictable set of known standards.known standards.

UndemocraticUndemocratic

Bureaucrats are unelected. Bureaucrats are unelected. They hold appointed offices.They hold appointed offices.

Therefore, bureaucracies Therefore, bureaucracies are undemocratic.are undemocratic.

However, bureaucrats are However, bureaucrats are appointed by elected appointed by elected officials and bureaucracies officials and bureaucracies are needed for a democracy are needed for a democracy to run smoothly.to run smoothly.

The Executive Office of the The Executive Office of the PresidentPresident

Thomas Jefferson had 2 aids (messenger Thomas Jefferson had 2 aids (messenger and secretary) that he paid out of his own and secretary) that he paid out of his own pocketpocket

It was not until 1857 that Congress It was not until 1857 that Congress provided money for Presidential staffprovided money for Presidential staff

Under President Jefferson, the executive Under President Jefferson, the executive branch employed about 2,100 peoplebranch employed about 2,100 people

Under President G. W. Bush, the Under President G. W. Bush, the executive branch employed about 2.7 executive branch employed about 2.7 million peoplemillion people

Executive DepartmentsExecutive Departments

Much of the work of the Much of the work of the Federal Federal GovernmentGovernment is done by is done by 15 executive 15 executive departmentsdepartments

The executive departments are often The executive departments are often called called Cabinet departmentsCabinet departments

The first The first three departmentsthree departments were were created by Congress in created by Congress in 17891789 – – Departments of Departments of State, Treasury, and State, Treasury, and WarWar

Chief Officers and StaffChief Officers and Staff

Each department is Each department is headed by a headed by a secretary secretary except for the except for the Department of Department of Justice Justice which is headed by the which is headed by the attorney generalattorney general

These secretaries are These secretaries are nominated nominated by the by the PresidentPresident and and confirmed by confirmed by the the Senate.Senate.Secretary of Defense – Chuck Hagel

The CabinetThe Cabinet

The cabinet is neither mentioned in The cabinet is neither mentioned in the the ConstitutionConstitution nor was it nor was it created by created by CongressCongress

The cabinet is an The cabinet is an informal group of informal group of advisorsadvisors to the President. to the President.

By traditionBy tradition, the , the secretaries of the secretaries of the executive departmentsexecutive departments form the cabinet. form the cabinet.

The Role of Cabinet The Role of Cabinet MembersMembers

IndividuallyIndividually, each is the , each is the leaderleader of his or of his or her departmenther department

CollectivelyCollectively, they act as , they act as advisorsadvisors to the to the PresidentPresident ““The Constitution… contains no suggestion of a The Constitution… contains no suggestion of a

meeting of all the department heads, in meeting of all the department heads, in consultation over general government matters. consultation over general government matters. The Cabinet is a mere creation of the The Cabinet is a mere creation of the President’s will…It exists only by custom. If the President’s will…It exists only by custom. If the President desired to dispense with it, he could President desired to dispense with it, he could do so.do so.

-William Howard Taft-William Howard Taft

Choosing Cabinet Choosing Cabinet MembersMembers

RejectionsRejections of appointments are rare. of appointments are rare. Since 1789, of more than Since 1789, of more than 600 600 appointments only appointments only 1212 have been have been rejectedrejected

Presidents tend to pick members Presidents tend to pick members of of the same partythe same party

Other factors: Other factors: professional professional qualifications, practical experience, qualifications, practical experience, geography, gender, racegeography, gender, race

Women and MinoritiesWomen and Minorities

Executive Departments Executive Departments ActivityActivity

1.1. Department of StateDepartment of State2.2. Department of TreasuryDepartment of Treasury3.3. Department of DefenseDepartment of Defense4.4. Department of JusticeDepartment of Justice5.5. Department of the InteriorDepartment of the Interior6.6. Department of AgricultureDepartment of Agriculture7.7. Department of CommerceDepartment of Commerce8.8. Department of LaborDepartment of Labor9. Department of Health and Human Services10. Department of Housing and Urban Development11. Department of Transportation12. Department of Energy13. Department of Education14. Department of Veterans Affairs15. Department of Homeland Security

Independent AgenciesIndependent Agencies

Located Located outside outside the departmentsthe departments Why?Why?

Some Some don’t fit welldon’t fit well in any department – in any department – Office of Personal ManagementOffice of Personal Management (hiring (hiring agency for national agencies)agency for national agencies)

To To avoid political pressureavoid political pressure – Social Security – Social Security AdministrationAdministration

Regulatory commissionsRegulatory commissions need to be need to be independentindependent

Can be broken down into three Can be broken down into three categories.categories.

Independent Executive Independent Executive AgenciesAgencies

Organized like the Organized like the Cabinet departmentsCabinet departments Examples: Examples: NASA, the Civil Rights NASA, the Civil Rights

CommissionCommission, the Peace Corps, the , the Peace Corps, the Environmental Protection AgencyEnvironmental Protection Agency

Independent Regulatory Independent Regulatory CommissionsCommissions

Created to Created to regulate or policeregulate or police the the nation’s economynation’s economy

Each is headed by Each is headed by a board of 5-7 a board of 5-7 membersmembers with staggered terms. with staggered terms.

No more than a No more than a bare majoritybare majority may be may be from from the same party.the same party.

Examples: Federal Trade Examples: Federal Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission, Securities and Exchange CommissionCommission

Government Government CorporationsCorporations

Set up like Set up like businessesbusinesses but are but are subject to the President’s subject to the President’s direction direction and controland control

Examples: Federal Deposit Examples: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), U.S. Insurance Corporation (FDIC), U.S. Postal ServicePostal Service

The Civil ServiceThe Civil Service

About 2.7 million people work for the About 2.7 million people work for the Federal Government todayFederal Government today

Washington picked mostly Washington picked mostly people people from his party.from his party. Jefferson did the same. Jefferson did the same.

Andrew Jackson dismissed over Andrew Jackson dismissed over 2,0002,000 federal employees based on federal employees based on partyparty

Spoils system (patronage)Spoils system (patronage) – giving – giving offices and other favors of offices and other favors of government government to political supporters to political supporters and friendsand friends

Civil ServiceCivil Service Eventually Eventually reform reform

changedchanged the spoils the spoils systemsystem

The Pendleton ActThe Pendleton Act – – make make merit the basismerit the basis of hiring, promotion, of hiring, promotion, and other personnel and other personnel actions in the federal actions in the federal work force.work force.

These reforms have These reforms have mostly been mostly been successfulsuccessful but no but no system is perfect.system is perfect.