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The Federal The Federal Bureaucracy Bureaucracy What is a bureaucracy, and how What is a bureaucracy, and how does it affect our daily lives? does it affect our daily lives?

The Federal Bureaucracy What is a bureaucracy, and how does it affect our daily lives?

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The Federal BureaucracyThe Federal Bureaucracy

What is a bureaucracy, and What is a bureaucracy, and how does it affect our daily how does it affect our daily

lives?lives?

BureaucracyBureaucracy A large, complex A large, complex

administrative structure that administrative structure that handles the everyday handles the everyday business of an organizationbusiness of an organization

Federal Government Federal Government = = nation’s largest employer; about nation’s largest employer; about 3 million men and women carry 3 million men and women carry out the daily work of our out the daily work of our governmentgovernment

Features of a BureaucracyFeatures of a Bureaucracy 1.) Hierarchical authority1.) Hierarchical authority – –

pyramid-shaped organization in pyramid-shaped organization in which the chain-of-command runs which the chain-of-command runs from the top to the bottomfrom the top to the bottom• The higher the job on the pyramid, The higher the job on the pyramid,

the more authority that person has the more authority that person has in making final decisions that shape in making final decisions that shape public policypublic policy

Features of a BureaucracyFeatures of a Bureaucracy

2.) Job Specialization2.) Job Specialization – – Clear-Clear-cut Division of laborcut Division of labor

Each bureaucrat has specific Each bureaucrat has specific responsibilitiesresponsibilities

Promotes efficiencyPromotes efficiency

Features of a BureaucracyFeatures of a Bureaucracy

3.) Formalized Roles3.) Formalized Roles – Work – Work is carried out in a procedural wayis carried out in a procedural way

Regulations or standards are Regulations or standards are followed by each bureaucrat to followed by each bureaucrat to complete a specific taskcomplete a specific task

Primary TaskPrimary Task

The primary task of The primary task of the Bureaucracy the Bureaucracy is….is….• ImplementationImplementation

The efforts of The efforts of departments and departments and agencies to translate agencies to translate the goals and the goals and objectives of a policy objectives of a policy in an operating, in an operating, ongoing programongoing program

ImplementationImplementation

Congress is fond of stating a broad Congress is fond of stating a broad policy goal in legislation and then policy goal in legislation and then leaving implementation up to the leaving implementation up to the Bureaucracies…..Bureaucracies…..• Why?Why?• SpecializationSpecialization• Shifting BlameShifting Blame

ImplementationImplementation

Rule MakingRule Making• Quasi-legislative Quasi-legislative

process by which the process by which the government agencies government agencies produce regulationsproduce regulations

Administrative Administrative AdjudicationAdjudication• Applying Rules and Applying Rules and

Precedents to specific Precedents to specific cases to settle disputes cases to settle disputes between regulated between regulated parties parties

Federal EmployeesFederal Employees What “bureaucrats” do:What “bureaucrats” do:

• Regulate business practicesRegulate business practices• Deliver the mailDeliver the mail• Clean the streetsClean the streets• Conduct social security programsConduct social security programs• Collect taxesCollect taxes• Carry out U.S. foreign policyCarry out U.S. foreign policy• Manage parks and national forestsManage parks and national forests

Created by CongressCreated by Congress Appointed by President Appointed by President Funded by CongressFunded by Congress Governed by the president Governed by the president

Paid for by the taxpayerPaid for by the taxpayer

Who is the bureaucracy accountable Who is the bureaucracy accountable too?too?

Making Agencies AccountableMaking Agencies Accountable

President has President has authority to authority to • Appoint and remove Appoint and remove

agency headsagency heads• Reorganize the Reorganize the

bureaucracybureaucracy• Make changes in Make changes in

budget proposalsbudget proposals• Issue executive ordersIssue executive orders• Reduce an agency’s Reduce an agency’s

budgetbudget

Congress has the Congress has the Authority toAuthority to• Pass laws that alter an Pass laws that alter an

agency’s functionsagency’s functions• Abolish existing Abolish existing

programsprograms• Investigate activitiesInvestigate activities• Limit the use of funds Limit the use of funds • Write legislation to limit Write legislation to limit

the Bureaucracythe Bureaucracy

By the PeopleBy the People

Freedom of Freedom of Information ActInformation Act• 1966- Allowed 1966- Allowed

citizens the right citizens the right to inspect all to inspect all government government documents except documents except intelligence intelligence reportsreports