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"Bureaucracy" -- can be good, bad, or in between [1]
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Date: 2025-03-31
The German social analyst Max Weber circa 1900 invented the term based on the French word “bureau” meaning office. The office, the bureau, would keep written records of interactions between government and civilians, of applications for permissions, permits given, of fees paid. It would operate completely on a set of rules, so that there would be social equality. The handling of each civilian would not depend on their connections or social status. But on rules. It would be modern and efficient, so long as the rules are reasonable.
Under the old system, your treatment by a government official — if you applied for a permit or were involved with the courts of law or with any other government function -— would depend greatly on your social connections. Under “good bureaucracy” you would have social equality and rational decision making.
Weber recognized, however, that bureaucracy could easily become corrupt, with bribes, favors to friends, bending the rules for some people and not for others. So obviously, maintaining integrity requires policing and inspection. Inspectors general.
These days, too many people fail to understand the value of good bureaucracy, with reasonable rules that protect citizens from harm, and equal treatment regardless of your sex, race or social connections. Instead the term ”bureaucracy” is quite indiscriminately and stupidly used as a term of abuse. Good bureaucracy means (a) good rules (b) officials who make rule-based decisions, irrespective of your social status.
For sure, we need good rules, and it is very legitimate to examine rules and amend or remove them if they do not make sense. But it is totally stupid to say things like “for each new rule, abolish 10 existing rules.” This stupidity prevails in the Trumpian mindset.
Oh, and before closing, all large scale modern social organizations — including businesses as well as government, are bureaucracies. They have rules, They maintain records. And, if they are properly run, they have sensible rules, universally enforced. This is central to fairness.
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