In What Sense, Is Bureaucratic Power Being Described As 'overEssay -towering' Or Threatening To Government Essay - 920 words

In what sense, is bureaucratic power being described as 'over-towering' or threatening to government The only thing that saves us from bureaucracy is inefficiency. An efficient bureaucracy is the greatest threat to liberty. Eugene McCarthy Before we start talking about bureaucracy, let us define the origin of this word. 'Bureau' (French, borrowed into German) is a desk, or by extension an office (as in 'I will be at the office tomorrow'; 'I work at the Bureau of Statistics'). 'Bureaucracy' is rule conducted from a desk or office, i.e. by the preparation and dispatch of written documents - or, these days, their electronic equivalent. In the office, are kept records of communications sent and received, the files or archives, consulted in preparing new ones.


Bureaucracy existed long before our time. In fact, we can find examples of it in the ancient Egypt, 5000 years before our time. In those times, bureaucracy served the government and was a means by which the government executed its orders. In our time, bureaucracy also serves the government. However, the situation dramatically changed. Now the government is threatened by the bureaucracy and the bureaucratic power is over-towering it. You may ask: how this obedient instrument of governments will could now become a separate body that dictates its rules to its primary master? The evolution of this problem is extended in centuries. Let us look at the middle ages.


In the middle ages, the most effective kings ruled from horseback: they traveled round the country, armed, accompanied by armed men, and enforced their will. They were prepared if necessary to enforce their will on their armed companions by personal combat, though their prestige was such that this was seldom necessary. The king was accompanied also by 'clerks', i.e. clergy, who could read and write, who took along a chest containing records and writing materials; the modern bureaucracy developed from this. In modern countries the ruler does not have to fight in person, or travel round much; he or she rules by sending messages, through a bureau. The messages are usually acted on mainly because of the government's moral authority or prestige (a 'status' phenomenon), but also because they can be backed by force, by a 'staff' of police or soldiers. Therefore, the kings became separated from their clerks and their power acquired a distant aspect.


Although they still have power this power is weakened. The kings nowadays became dependent on their clergy. They cannot do anything without their clerks; therefore, their power became formal. In fact, the word formal often comes along with bureaucracy. The modern government may issue some law and it becomes official. But the direct execution of this law, its general performance depends on bure ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Essay Tags: bureaucracy, middle ages, government agencies, modern life, bureaucratic

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