bureaucratie

Bureaucratie refers to a system of administration characterized by formal structures and procedures designed to implement public policy and deliver services. It emphasizes hierarchical organization, a division of labor, impersonality, and professional staff.

Historical development: It emerged with the growth of modern states in the 18th-19th centuries. Max Weber described bureaucracies as rational-legal authorities with features: fixed division of labor, hierarchical ordering, governed by rules, merit-based careers, and impersonal relations. Variants exist across political systems.

Structure and operations: Bureaucracies rely on standard operating procedures, documentation, budgets, and decision-making processes. Agencies are typically structured with clear lines of authority, specialized units, and formal recruitment and promotion rules. They perform policy implementation, regulation, service delivery, compliance, and record-keeping.

Criticisms and challenges: Common critiques include inefficiency, rigidity, red tape, and resistance to change. Bureaucracies can become overly complex, slow to adapt, and susceptible to political influence or patronage if not properly checked. Risks include misallocation of resources and reduced accountability.

Reforms and variations: Public administration reforms have sought to improve efficiency and responsiveness through New Public Management, decentralization, performance measurement, outsourcing, and digital government. Some systems emphasize professional autonomy and merit, others prioritize political oversight. The term also covers non-governmental organizations that imitate bureaucratic forms.