Government at Work: the Bureaucracy Topic 6 Government at Work: the Bureaucracy

The Federal Government is a huge organization… The Federal Government is a huge organization….it is responsible for delivering mail, regulating business practices, collecting taxes, defending our nation, administering social security programs, managing the national forests, exploring outer space, and hundreds of other things on a daily basis.

Bureaucracy Is a large complex administrative structure that handles the everyday business of an organization (many refer to it as the “red Tape”). What it is essentially is an efficient and an effective way to organize people to do work. They are found wherever there are large organizations in both the public and the private sectors of this country. Examples: U.S. Air Force, McDonalds, MTV, Yahoo, School city of Hammond, and even the roman catholic church are all bureaucracies There are three features (or principles) of a bureaucracy: Hierarchical authority, job specialization, and formalized rules

Hierarchical Authority Structured as a pyramid…with a chain of command running from the top of the pyramid on down to its base

Job specialization Each bureaucrat (person who works for the organization) has certain defined duties and responsibilities. A division of labor within the organization

Formalized rules The bureaucracy does its work according to a number of established regulations and procedures. They are set out in written form so they can be known by all who are involved in that work.

benefits It is the most effective way for people to work together on large and complex tasks, whether public or private. Speed action by reducing conflicts over who has the power and the appropriate authority to make decisions Promotes efficiency Workers can act with speed and precision because decisions are based on a set of known standards and expectations

President’s executive cabinet One aspect of the executive branch of government is the president’s cabinet (15 executive departments that aide the president). You will be responsible for knowing all 15 departments

State Department 1789 Advises the president on foreign policy Negotiates agreements with foreign countries Represents the united states abroad and in international organizations

Department of Defense 1789 Provides military forces to deter war and protect the nation’s security

Treasury department 1789 Produces coins and bills Borrows money and manages public debt Collects taxes

Justice department 1789 Prosecutes those accused of violating federal law Provides legal advice to the president Operates federal prisons Attorney general

Department of the interior 1849 Manages public lands, wildlife refuges, and national parks Operates hydroelectric power plants Helps Native Americans manage their affairs

Department of agriculture 1889 Assists farmers and ranchers Administers food stamp and school lunch programs Inspects food and ensures quality standards Manages national forests

Department of commerce 1903 Promotes international trade, economic growth, and technological development Grants patents and registers trademarks Conducts census

Department of labor 1913 Enforces federal laws on minimum wages, maximum hours, and safe working conditions Administers unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation programs

Department of health and human services 1953 Funds healthcare research programs Conducts programs to prevent and control disease Enforces pure foods and drug laws Administers Medicare and Medicaid

Department of housing and urban development 1965 Operates home financing and public housing programs Enforces fair housing laws

Department of transportation 1967 Administers programs to promote and regulate highways, mass transit, railroads, waterways, air travel, and oil and gas pipelines Department of transportation 1967

Department of energy 1977 Promotes production of renewable energy, fossil fuels, and nuclear energy Transmits and sells hydroelectric power Conducts nuclear weapons research and production

Department of education 1979 Administers federal aid to schools Ensures equal access to education Conducts educational research Department of education 1979

Department of veterans affairs 1989 Administers benefits, pensions, and medical programs for veterans of the armed forces Oversees military cemeteries

Department of homeland security 2002 Ensures border and transportation security Develops emergency preparedness and response programs Safeguards national infrastructure and information systems