The Government At Work Magruder Chapter 15 The Bureaucracy

The Government At Work

Magruder Chapter 15Magruder Chapter 15

The BureaucracyThe Bureaucracy

The Federal Bureaucracy

What is a Bureaucracy?

Bureaucracy is based on the principles of Bureaucracy is based on the principles of hierarchical authority, job specialization, hierarchical authority, job specialization, and formal rulesand formal rules

A bureaucracy is a way of organizing A bureaucracy is a way of organizing people to do workpeople to do work

Major Elements

Nearly all of the bureaucracy of the federal Nearly all of the bureaucracy of the federal Government resides in the Executive Government resides in the Executive Branch of governmentBranch of government

The Constitution gives little guidance about The Constitution gives little guidance about the structure of the federal bureaucracythe structure of the federal bureaucracy

Major Elements

The bureaucracy is made up of three major The bureaucracy is made up of three major groups of administrative agencies: the groups of administrative agencies: the Executive Office of the President; the 15 Executive Office of the President; the 15 Cabinet Departments; and the Independent Cabinet Departments; and the Independent AgenciesAgencies

The Name Game

The term The term departmentdepartment is reserved for is reserved for agencies of cabinet rankagencies of cabinet rank

The term The term agencyagency is used to refer to any is used to refer to any governmental body or, more particularly, to governmental body or, more particularly, to a major unit headed by a single a major unit headed by a single administrator of near-cabinet status. The administrator of near-cabinet status. The term term administrationadministration is used in a similar way is used in a similar way

The Name Game The term The term commissioncommission is given to agencies is given to agencies

charged with the regulation of business charged with the regulation of business activities. Commissions are headed by activities. Commissions are headed by varying numbers of top-ranking officers, or varying numbers of top-ranking officers, or commissioners.commissioners.

The terms The terms corporationcorporation and and authorityauthority are are used for agencies that have a board and a used for agencies that have a board and a manager and that conduct business-like manager and that conduct business-like activities.activities.

These terms are not used consistentlyThese terms are not used consistently

Staff and Line

Staff agencies are those agencies that serve Staff agencies are those agencies that serve in a support capacity by furnishing advice in a support capacity by furnishing advice and assistance in the management of an and assistance in the management of an organizationorganization

Line agencies are those agencies that Line agencies are those agencies that actually perform the tasks for which the actually perform the tasks for which the organization existsorganization exists

Executive Departments and Independent Agencies

The Cabinet

The head of each department is known as The head of each department is known as the Secretary, except for the Justice the Secretary, except for the Justice Department which is headed by the Department which is headed by the Attorney GeneralAttorney General

Department secretaries are appointed by the Department secretaries are appointed by the President with the approval of the SenatePresident with the approval of the Senate

Together, the department secretaries serve Together, the department secretaries serve as the cabinetas the cabinet

What are Independent Agencies?

An independent agency operates outside of An independent agency operates outside of the 15 executive departments in the cabinetthe 15 executive departments in the cabinet

Four major reasons explain why these Four major reasons explain why these agencies exist outside of the cabinet agencies exist outside of the cabinet department structure:department structure: Some agencies are independent because Some agencies are independent because

their functions did not fit well into any of their functions did not fit well into any of the existing departmentsthe existing departments


Some are independent to protect their Some are independent to protect their officials from political pressuresofficials from political pressuresOffice of Personnel ManagementOffice of Personnel ManagementSocial Security AdministrationSocial Security AdministrationFederal Election CommissionFederal Election Commission


Some are independent to make them Some are independent to make them more responsive to interest-group more responsive to interest-group pressurespressures

Some are independent because of their Some are independent because of their peculiar and sensitive nature of their peculiar and sensitive nature of their functionsfunctions


There are three types of independent There are three types of independent agencies: independent executive agencies; agencies: independent executive agencies; independent regulatory commissions; and independent regulatory commissions; and government corporationsgovernment corporations

Independent Executive Agencies

Most of the independent agencies fall into Most of the independent agencies fall into this categorythis category

They are organized under a single They are organized under a single administrator and have subunits that operate administrator and have subunits that operate on a regional basison a regional basis


Today, there about 150 Independent Today, there about 150 Independent Regulatory AgenciesRegulatory Agencies

Most are found on the list of agencies on Most are found on the list of agencies on page 383 in the Magruder textbookpage 383 in the Magruder textbook


Includes most of the Independent AgenciesIncludes most of the Independent Agencies Some are large, multi-million or even Some are large, multi-million or even

billion dollar budgetsbillion dollar budgets GSA, NASA, EPAGSA, NASA, EPA

Almost the same as the cabinet Almost the same as the cabinet departments, just do not have cabinet statusdepartments, just do not have cabinet status


Others do important work just not as largeOthers do important work just not as large Civil Rights CommissionCivil Rights Commission Peace CorpsPeace Corps Federal Election CommissionFederal Election Commission


Others act far from the limelightOthers act far from the limelight American Battle Monuments American Battle Monuments

CommissionCommission Citizen’s Stamp Advisory CommitteeCitizen’s Stamp Advisory Committee

Independent Regulatory Commissions These commissions are created to regulate These commissions are created to regulate

important aspects of the nation’s economyimportant aspects of the nation’s economy The 10 independent regulatory The 10 independent regulatory

commissions are largely not under the commissions are largely not under the President’s controlPresident’s control The members of the commissions are The members of the commissions are

appointed by the President and approved appointed by the President and approved by the Senate for long, staggered termsby the Senate for long, staggered terms

Independent Regulatory Commissions

These commissions must be made up These commissions must be made up from both parties, and members cannot from both parties, and members cannot be removed for political reasonsbe removed for political reasons

They have quasi-legislative and quasi-They have quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial powersjudicial powers Used to clarify the laws they must Used to clarify the laws they must

enforceenforce Act as an arbitrator when questions ariseAct as an arbitrator when questions arise

Independent Regulatory Commissions These regulatory bodies possess all three These regulatory bodies possess all three

powers – executive, legislative, and judicial powers – executive, legislative, and judicial – and are exceptions to the principle of – and are exceptions to the principle of separation of powersseparation of powers Congress has delegated some of its Congress has delegated some of its

responsibilities to these agencies to carry responsibilities to these agencies to carry out the role congress should haveout the role congress should have

Independent Regulatory Commissions Two major regulatory commissions – the Two major regulatory commissions – the

Civil Aeronautics Board and the Interstate Civil Aeronautics Board and the Interstate Commerce Commission – have disappeared Commerce Commission – have disappeared in recent yearsin recent years

Government Corporations

These corporations are within the executive These corporations are within the executive branch, and they are under the control of the branch, and they are under the control of the PresidentPresident

Their top officers are appointed by the Their top officers are appointed by the President with Senate confirmation; all of President with Senate confirmation; all of their employees are public officialstheir employees are public officials


Examples would beExamples would be the FDIC – Federal Deposit Insurance the FDIC – Federal Deposit Insurance

CorporationCorporation Eximbank -- Export/Import Bank of the Eximbank -- Export/Import Bank of the

United StatesUnited States The US Postal ServiceThe US Postal Service National Railroad Passenger CorporationNational Railroad Passenger Corporation


Pension Benefit Guaranty CorporationPension Benefit Guaranty Corporation Tennessee Valley AuthorityTennessee Valley Authority


Some controversy exists as to whether Some controversy exists as to whether government corporations are compatible government corporations are compatible with the democratic government’s with the democratic government’s requirement that all public agencies be requirement that all public agencies be accountable to the publicaccountable to the public

The Civil Service

Development of the Civil Service

The Beginnings – During the early years of The Beginnings – During the early years of the republic, Presidents tried to fill federal the republic, Presidents tried to fill federal jobs with qualified persons who shared their jobs with qualified persons who shared their political viewspolitical views

The Spoils System – Andrew Jackson The Spoils System – Andrew Jackson began the practice of giving government began the practice of giving government positions to the President’s political positions to the President’s political supporterssupporters


Jackson defended this policy by saying Jackson defended this policy by saying that any intelligent person can fill any that any intelligent person can fill any public officepublic office

Jackson also maintained that there should Jackson also maintained that there should be rotation in office so that more people be rotation in office so that more people can serve in public officecan serve in public office

Long service in office, Jackson believed, Long service in office, Jackson believed, would lead to tyranny and inefficiencywould lead to tyranny and inefficiency


Finally, Jackson claimed that the people Finally, Jackson claimed that the people are entitled to have the party they elected are entitled to have the party they elected to power in control of all government to power in control of all government officesoffices

The Movement to Reform – Widespread The Movement to Reform – Widespread corruption and the assassination of James corruption and the assassination of James Garfield led to the Civil Service Act, or Garfield led to the Civil Service Act, or Pendleton Act, in 1883Pendleton Act, in 1883


The Pendleton ActThe Pendleton Act The Pendleton Act made merit the basis The Pendleton Act made merit the basis

for hiring and promotion in federal jobsfor hiring and promotion in federal jobs The act also required that the federal The act also required that the federal

work force would consist of men and work force would consist of men and women from every State, with the women from every State, with the number from each State bearing a close number from each State bearing a close relationship to that State’s share of the relationship to that State’s share of the total populationtotal population


The Pendleton Act (con)The Pendleton Act (con) Veterans received preferred ranking in Veterans received preferred ranking in

federal hiringfederal hiring

Civil Service Today

A second goal of civil service reform has A second goal of civil service reform has been to ensure that the best available people been to ensure that the best available people are included in the federal work forceare included in the federal work force

Reorganization – President Carter Reorganization – President Carter succeeded in implementing reforms in the succeeded in implementing reforms in the civil service system that were intended to civil service system that were intended to make the system more efficient and make the system more efficient and responsive to meritresponsive to merit

Federal Employees and Party Activists The political activities of federal employees The political activities of federal employees

are subject to several limitsare subject to several limits Federal employees may not strikeFederal employees may not strike Classified federal employees may not be Classified federal employees may not be

party activists, run for a partisan office, party activists, run for a partisan office, become officers in a political become officers in a political organization or delegates to a party organization or delegates to a party convention, or raise funds for a political convention, or raise funds for a political party or any of its candidatesparty or any of its candidates

Federal Employees and Party Activists Pay and Benefits Issues – Minority groups Pay and Benefits Issues – Minority groups

and women are well represented in most and women are well represented in most federal agencies, but remain at lower-level federal agencies, but remain at lower-level jobsjobs

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The Government At Work Magruder Chapter 15 The Bureaucracy