Question: Bureaucracies typically have negative images. Can you list three positive functions of bureaucracies? Note: Response should be at least 50 words.

The Federal Bureaucracy

Spring 2014

Note: This is a transcription of Professor Morris' video lecture.

Welcome to our next study of American government. In this unit, we're going to be looking at the Federal bureaucracy.

The Federal bureaucracies, sometimes called Federal agencies, are those departments responsible for implementing laws that have been passed by Congress and signed by the President of the United States. At the time of George Washington, our first president of the United States, there were approximately 50 people that made up the bureaucracy, who were, as it were, responsible for implementing the laws of the land. Today, we have more than 2.5 million people currently filling positions in the Federal bureaucracy. That part of the government was most...had the most contact with the general public. Again, it's called the Federal bureaucracy.

We're going to look at origin and structure of the Federal bureaucracy, the various types of agencies or bureaucracies that exist. We'll look at federal employment today. How do you get a federal job as opposed to, in times of old, how a job was secured with the federal government? We'll look at the budget process, as it is a big part of the federal bureaucracy. We'll also look at the various policy and powers that have been granted to the various Federal agencies.

And, finally, we'll conclude this chapter by looking at the bureaucracy and accountability. How is the bureaucracy held accountable for the job that they do? Well, there are a number of accountability structures within our federal government. The President's able to hold the bureaucracy accountable as well as Congress, as well as the court system. Not only that, but the bureaucracy itself has various instruments for accountability. Let's begin our study of the Federal bureaucracy.