American Government and Politics Today: The Bureaucracy

This set of flashcards covers essential terms and concepts related to the bureaucracy in American government and politics, as outlined in the lecture notes.

Bureaucracy

A large organization that is structured hierarchically to carry out specific functions.

Weberian Model

A model of bureaucracy characterized by hierarchy, specialization, rules, regulations, and neutrality.

Public Bureaucracy

A bureaucracy that operates for service, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Private Bureaucracy

A bureaucracy that operates for profit.

Civilian Employees

Workers who are not members of the military, such as the 2.7 million civilian employees of the federal government.

Department of Defense

A U.S. federal agency that employs over 650,000 civilian staff.

Executive Departments

Major divisions of the federal bureaucracy, including various departments like Treasury, State, and Defense.

Independent Agencies

Government organizations that operate independently from the executive departments.

Legislative Control

Congressional influence over the bureaucracy, including budget processes and oversight.

Political Appointees

Individuals appointed to bureaucratic positions, often tied to political affiliations.

Privatization

The transfer of public services to private companies in an effort to increase efficiency.

Whistle Blowers

Individuals who expose corruption or inefficiencies within bureaucracies.

Rulemaking

The process by which bureaucratic agencies create regulations to enforce laws.