Oklahoma State University – Oklahoma City
American Government POLS1113-20470
Spring 2022
Lecture Notes #15
Contents: cover materials in Chapter 15 - Bureaucracy
American Government
Lecture #15
Max Weber, a German sociologist was one of the first people in modern times to think seriously about
the importance of bureaucracy. The term actually comes from the French word "bureau," a reference to
the small desks that the king's representatives set up in towns as they traveled across the country on
king's business. So bureaucracy literally means "government with a small desk."
Weber wrote about Germany during the early 20th century, when developing capitalism was spawning
more and more large businesses. The changing economic scene had important implications for
government. Weber saw bureaucracy as a rational way for complex businesses and governments to
organize. He did not see them as necessary evils, but as the best organizational response to a changing
society.
According to Weber, model bureaucracies have the following characteristics:
A chain of command that is hierarchical; the top bureaucrat has ultimate control, and authority
flows from the top down
A clear division of labor in which every individual has a specialized job
Clearly written, well-established formal rules that all people in the organization follow
A clearly defined set of goals that all people in the organization strive toward
Merit-based hiring and promotion; no granting of jobs to friends or family unless they are the
best qualified
Job performance that is judged by productivity, or how much work an individual gets done
Weber emphasized the importance of the bureaucracy in getting things done and believed that a well-
organized, rational bureaucracy is the secret behind the successful operation of modern societies.
According to the theory, agencies and departments usually keep close contacts with interest group
lobbyists who want to influence their actions. Interest groups may provide valuable statistics to
government agencies, and they are motivated to have their point of view heard. Both lobbyists and
bureaucrats value contact with congressional subcommittees that shape the laws that govern their
interests. Working together, these three groups set most government policies.
An example of such an iron triangle would be the American Association for Retired People (AARP), the
House Subcommittee on Aging, and the Social Security Administration all working together to set
government policy on Social Security.
Advisers, bookkeepers, secretaries. So, it is not only the famous people — the President, the Chief of
Staff, the Speaker of the House, or the Senate Majority Leader — who make the real decisions in
