Amer-Texas Govt Bureacracy Test Flashcards

What is bureaucracy?

The administrative arm of the executive branch.

Why is bureaucracy sometimes seen negatively?

It can be viewed as inefficient or overly complex.

Why is bureaucracy necessary?

It helps implement laws and policies efficiently.

What are the main purposes of bureaucracy?

Efficiency, policy implementation, delegation of authority, and oversight.

What are the key roles of bureaucracy?

Implementing laws, rule-making, enforcement, and settling disputes.

What is administrative adjudication?

Bureaucrats resolving disputes like judges.

Three types of executive branch agencies:

Clientele agencies, regulatory agencies, redistributive agencies.

What is budget maximization?

Agencies try to use and grow their budgets to maintain importance and resources.

What are non-material gratifications for bureaucrats?

Stability, prestige, and respect.

What is mission motivation?

Passion for the agency’s goals and work.

What is the principal-agent problem?

Difficulty for leaders (principals) to monitor bureaucrats (agents).

What is bureaucratic drift?

Agencies implement laws based on their own preferences, not the original intent.

What are before-the-fact controls?

Rules set during legislation to guide agency behavior.

What is coalitional drift?

Changes in political leadership can shift how laws are interpreted.

How does the president manage bureaucracy?

Through regulatory review and executive orders.

How does Congress oversee bureaucracy?

Hearings, subpoenas, and written reports.

What are four ways to reform bureaucracy?

Termination, deregulation, devolution, privatization.