Bureaucracy

Bureaucracy
Bureaucratic Power: Out of Control?
Sources of Bureaucratic Power
The strategic position of bureaucrats in the policy process.
The logistical relationship between bureaucrats and
ministries.
The status and expertise of bureaucrats

Ways to control
Creation of mechanisms of political accountability
The politicization of the civil service.
The construction of counter bureaucracies
 Sources
The principal sources of bureaucratic power include the
ability of civil servants to control the flow of information
and thus determine what their political masters know.
Bureaucrats are not only loyal civil servants, they are in
fact the powerful and influential persons who
collectively constitute a fourth branch of the
government.
Examples: Japanese bureaucrats were the mastermind
of Japanese economic miracle during 1950s and
1960s, so are viewed as Japans permanent
politicians.
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UKs Civil Service was termed as Britains Ruling
Class (Kellner and Cowther Hunt, 1980).
The Eurocrats (European Bureaucrats) based on the
administration of European Union in Brussels are
considered as the driving force of its monetary and
political union.
Leftist and Rightist often dismiss the conventional
notion of bureaucratic neutrality.
Marxist have blamed Bureaucracy as a mechanism
to subjugate working class by diluting the radical
policies of socialist government.
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On the Other hand, the New Rightists insist that self
interested public officials foster governmental growth
and resist neo-liberal or free-market policies.
The sources of bureaucratic power include:
1. The Strategic Position of Bureaucrats in the Policy
Process:
Senior bureaucrats are the experts who advise policy
process. They have access to information and are able to
control its flow to their ministerial bosses.
Such knowledge and information are the powers of
ministries.
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Bureaucrats decide what ministers know and what they
dont.
In such a way policy option is designed according to the
interest of bureaucrats.
However, it does not mean that Bureaucrats are deliberately
manipulative. It means that bureaucrats preferences
significantly structure policy debate and can shape the
decisions.
2. The logistical relationship between bureaucrats and
ministries.
Operational relationship and the mutual advantage
shared by ministers and bureaucrats also provide power to
bureaucrats.
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Firstly politicians are heavily outnumbered by civil servants. The

limited span of control of Politicians does not allow themselves to
control.
Hence bureaucrats exercise administrative as well as major portion
of policy processes.
Secondly, Civil servants permanently remain in bureaucracy where
as politicians are for a short span of time. Politicians need Specialist
knowledge and experience of bureaucrats. This makes bureaucrats
more powerful.
Thirdly, Ministerial duties are unlimited. Attending cabinet meetings,
cabinet committees, visiting their constituency and voters, foreign
visits, media and so on. In such a condition most of the policy and
operational matters are left in the hands of civil servants.
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3. The status and expertise of bureaucrats
The final source of bureaucratic power is the status and
respect to civil servants.
Their specialist and expertise knowledge establishes
themselves as meritocratic elites.
For Example: In Germany civil servants are recruited by
competitive examination from the ranks of university
graduates and then endure a rigorous three-year training
program followed by a second phase of examination.
In UK, civil servants are generally the Oxbridge
graduates.
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In most of the countries, civil servants are recruited
through tough competitive examination which ensures
their expertise.
In comparison, politicians often lack expert knowledge
and need bureaucrats expert support.
 Ways to Control
There is no alternative to bureaucracy.
However, the unchecked bureaucratic power seriously
affects the spirit of representative government.
For political democracy to be meaningful, appointed
officials must in some ways be accountable to politicians
who in turn are accountable to people.
The negative image of bureaucracy as corruption,
maladministration, red-tapism stems from the fact that
they are not directly accountable to people.
So in any democratic country, democratic control
(control by peoples representatives) is necessary to
make them accountable and promote their efficiency.
 Ways
Following are the forms of maintaining control over
bureaucratic power:
1. Creation of mechanisms of political accountability
Those mechanisms can be:
Ministerial responsibility: Defines the relationship between
ministers and their departments guaranteeing that civil servants
are publicly accountable. Observed mostly in parliamentary
systems.
Legislative Oversight: scrutiny of legislative to the activities of
bureaucracy. E.g.: US congresss scrutiny over the budget process,
and the activities of different departments.
Judicial Scrutiny: Countries having the practice of administrative
law and administrative courts (defines the power and function
of executive branch of the state and governs the activities of
administrative agencies of gov.) aim to resolve disputes between
bureaucracy and private citizens.
 Ways
Ombudsman System*: They can act as an investigator
to control maladministration of bureaucrats.
Assertiveness of independent media can also help to
make bureaucrats accountable.
2. The politicization of the civil service
Political recruitment at the senior Level of
bureaucracy.
Control is overtly exercised through the appointment
System.
* An Ombbudsman is an official usually appointed by parliament or
government with significant degree of independence charged with
responsibilities of investigating maladministration or violation of
rights.
 Ways
This is practiced greatly in United States. Nearly 4000
top posts are filled by political appointees. President
personally appoints about 200 top administrators.
Ministers are allowed to discard unwanted officials and
appoint more sympathetic ones in Germany. Margret
Thatcher also practiced such political control by
appointing top level bureaucrats.
However such practice strikes the heart of
professionalism.
It is difficult to have political commitment and
meritocracy at the same time
 Ways
3. The construction of counter bureaucracies
Using political advisors or outsiders can reduce the burden
of ministerial work load.
example: Institute of Public Policy Research supported Tony
Blair on policy advise.
It has been elaborately developed in USA.
The Executive Office of the President (EOP) consisting 1400
staffs is the principal advising organization to president.
The purpose of such counter bureaucracy is to compensate
the outnumbered politicians.
Other examples: Security Council, Council of Economic
Advisers, Council of Foreign Affairs. RAND Corporation etc.
 Ways
However this type of political control has its drawbacks:
It can lead to the duplication of government agencies
and causes jurisdictional conflict.
National Security Council and State Departments role
often overlap in USA.