From 352bd2bb48910ccc854a6005fa2bf4e893f73b5a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Holden Rohrer Date: Fri, 16 Oct 2020 12:43:17 -0400 Subject: watched the Rich bureaucracy lectures --- rich/24_bureaucracy | 120 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 120 insertions(+) create mode 100644 rich/24_bureaucracy (limited to 'rich') diff --git a/rich/24_bureaucracy b/rich/24_bureaucracy new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e5f3f0c --- /dev/null +++ b/rich/24_bureaucracy @@ -0,0 +1,120 @@ +The United States Bureaucracy +- Stereotypically slow and tedious/inefficient +- Compare to industrialized (like not Latin America) democracies + +Government is a service industry +- US Gov has roughly 3 million employees + +Bureaucracy: a large organization structured hierarchically to carry out +specific functions + - The ideal -- Efficient administration + +Differences between public and private bureaucracies + - Public = government (GA, US, GT), private = company + - Leadership in private companies is "earned" + - Leadership in gov't is appointed, so + - Incentive for performance + - Private sector ties compensation directly to performance + (e.g. commission) + - No incentives tied to easy measures of performance +At least, this is true in the US. + +Three Models of Bureaucracy +Weberian Model (private sector) + - Hierarchical with formal rules and regulations, top-down, + technical and rational/neutral +Acquisitive Model (Gov) + - Protect one's own "turf" rather than org-wide motives + - Individual self-serving motivations +Monopolistic Model (Gov) + - Model of inefficiency + - Only place you can get the service, so why compete + - Ex: DDS, Defense Dept +Gov's bureaucracy is generally inefficient because of its structure + +15 major executive service organizations + - 60% of all civilian workers +Independent Executive Agencies + - CIA, NASA don't report to cabinet member +Government Corporations + - Organized like private firm (USPS) + - Still not Weberian because they deliver things others won't +Independent Regulatory Agencies + - Implement and make rules to protect the public + - Nuclear Regulatory Commission + - Federal Communications Commission + - Develop an acquisitory model to gain budget, responsibility, etc + - Acquisition can create overregulation + +- What one item has 41K regulations? (most serve a purpose) + Not pharmaceuticals (few regulations because of the lobby) + Not cars (lots of power in the economy -> not too many regs) + - Cheeseburger + - Adds 8 to 11 cents on the price +- Some might be a little extreme + - The pickle slice *must* be between 1/4" and 3/8" thick +Chocolate can have up to one rodent hair or 60 insect pieces per 100g +Frozen brocolli can have up to 60 pests per 100g +Fewer than 5 fly eggs or 1 maggot per 250ml of canned orange juice + +Staffing the bureaucracy +Two categories + - Political appointees + - Presidential nominations + - Senate approves them + - Party politics is important to getting appointed + - "Political plums": unimportant ambassadors + - Civil Servants + - Position established by Pendleton Act + - Requires meritocratic selection + - President used to be able to fire all old civil servants to + reward their political party ("to the victor goes the spoils") + - Hatch Act prevents federal bureaucrats from campaigning + +Modern Attempts at Bureaucratic Reform +- Sunshine Laws + - "Shed light" on gov't + - Full disclosure of gov't agencies +- Sunset Laws + - Requires congressional reviews of effectiveness of agency programs + - If ineffective, may move or get shut down +- Privatization + - Theory: competitive contracts mean you get the cheapest provider + of good/service + - If company fails, it just gets more money to finish it +- Performance and Results Act + - Sort of establishes the bare minimums an agency/program must meet +- Internet + - Has consolidated a LOT of information, bulletins, interviews + - Free, always-available, easier + - Ex: IRS relations have gotten much better/easier +- Whistleblower Protection Act + - Report waste and fraud anonymously + - In recent impeachment proceedings, violated by outing them + +How does the US compare (to its industrialized democratic peers)? +- France -- *Grand Corps*, National School of Administration (ENA) + - Common training, common language, same goals + - WAY more effective + - Very elitist...mostly upper class, 40% have a family background + - Mostly from Greater Paris Area suburbs + - "These princes who govern us," semi-sovereign + - Inflexible, poorly represents France as a whole +- Germany + - Combines moral sense and legalism + - Derived from a regimental military state + - Mostly lawyers + - Generally consistent and useful bureaucracy + - But homogenous mindset, and prefers legalism to moralism + - Like France, loyal to the state +- Japan + - Very attractive, very competitive (esp for youth) + - Graduation with honsors is a must, and Tokyo U helps. + - Regimented schedule and criteria for promotion + - Abnormally high level of political influence + - 90% of all legislation passed comes from them + - Only actually a few hundred jobs each year + - Good "professional" bureaucracy, but it might not reflect + political culture +But these bureaucracies still have similar problems to the US. Why? +- None can perfectly fit the Weberian model -- cgit