Chapter 9: The Bureaucracy Vocabulary List

Flashcards for Chapter 9 Vocabulary on the Bureaucracy

Federal Bureaucracy

The thousands of federal government agencies and institutions that implement and administer federal laws and programs.

Spoils System

The firing of public office holders of a defeated political party to replace them with loyalists of the newly elected party.

Patronage

Jobs, grants, or other special favors that are given as rewards to friends and political allies for their support.

Merit System

A system of employment based on qualifications, test scores, and ability, rather than loyalty to a party.

Pendleton Act

Reform measure that established the principle of federal employment on the basis of open, competitive exams, and created the Civil Service Commission.

Civil Service System

The merit systems by which many federal bureaucrats are selected.

Independent Regulatory Commission

An entity created by Congress outside a major executive department.

Departments

Major administrative units with responsibility for a broad area of government operations; departmental status usually indicates a permanent national interest in a particular governmental function.

Independent Executive Agencies

Governmental units that closely resemble a Cabinet department but have narrower areas of responsibility and perform services rather than regulatory functions.

Government Corporations

Businesses established by Congress to perform functions that could be provided by private business.

Hatch Act

The 1939 act to prohibit civil servants from taking activist roles in partisan campaigns.

Federal Employees Political Activities Act of 1993

The 1993 modification of the Hatch Act, allowing federal employees to run for office in nonpartisan elections and contribute money to campaigns.

Implementation

The process by which a law or policy is put into operation.

Iron Triangles

The relatively stable relationships and patterns of interactions that occur among agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees.

Issue Network

The loose and informal relationships that exist among a large number of actors who work in broad policy areas.

Interagency Councils

Working groups created to facilitate coordination of policy making and implementation across a host of governmental agencies.

Administrative Discretion

The ability of bureaucrats to make choices concerning the best way to implement congressional or executive intentions.

Rule Making

A quasi-legislative process that results in regulations that have the characteristics of a legislative act.

Regulations

Rules that govern the operations of all government programs and have the force of law.

Administrative Adjudication

A quasi-judicial process in which a bureaucratic agency settles disputes between two parties in a manner similar to the way courts resolve disputes.

Executive Order

Rule or regulation issued by the president that has the effect of law; must be published in the Federal Register.