Bureaucracy - AP US Government

Key Concepts and Structures of Bureaucracy

Types of Agencies

• Independent Executive Agency: Reports directly to the President.
  • Example: CIA, Selective Service System.
• Regulatory Agency: Independent from political influences, insulates President and Congress.
  • Example: FCC, NLRB, Federal Reserve.
• Government Corporation: Legal entity created by government to operate business-like activities.
  • Example: Amtrak, USPS.

Bureaucratic Hierarchy

• Top of Hierarchy: The President.
  • Influence through executive orders and cabinet appointments.
  • Congressional confirmation required for appointments.

Characteristics of Bureaucracy

• Developed by Max Weber, includes:
  1. Formal hierarchical structure
  2. Management by rules
  3. Organization by functional specialty
  4. In-focused mission
  5. Purposely impersonal
  6. Employment based on technical qualifications

Impersonal Nature of Bureaucracies

• Everyone is treated the same regardless of status or socioeconomic background.

Bureaucratic Employment

• Most Important Selection Criterion: Technical expertise over political connections.

Cabinet Positions

• Generally, positions titled "Secretary" are cabinet-level.
• Attorney General and Vice President are also cabinet members.

Structure of Bureaucracies

• Not a defining element: Employees who are knowledgeable generalists.
• Favors specialization and expertise within specific fields.
• Operates on the merit principle: hiring based on accomplishments.
• Impersonal relations with the public enforced by rules.

Largest Federal Bureaucratic Agency

• Department of Defense: Largest cadre of civilian employees.
  • Employs nearly 25% of all federal civilian employees.
  • Additionally has over one million military personnel.
• Postal Service ranks second among federal bureaucracies.

Additional Notes

• California has the highest percentage of federal civilian bureaucrats, not Washington, D.C.

These notes summarize the main points discussed under the topic of bureaucracy within the AP US Government context, focusing on types of agencies, structure, characteristics, and employment practices.