History Bureaucracy

1 history

1.1 ancient
1.2 modern

1.2.1 united kingdom
1.2.2 france
1.2.3 other industrialized nations

history
ancient

students competed in imperial examinations receive position in bureaucracy of ancient china.

although term bureaucracy not coined until mid 18th century, organized , consistent administrative systems older. development of writing (ca. 3500 bc) , use of documents critical administration of system, , first definitive emergence of bureaucracy in ancient sumer, emergent class of scribes used clay tablets administer harvest , allocate spoils. ancient egypt had hereditary class of scribes administered civil service bureaucracy.

the roman empire administered hierarchy of regional proconsuls , deputies. reforms of diocletian doubled number of administrative districts , led large-scale expansion of roman bureaucracy. christian author lactantius claimed diocletian s reforms led widespread economic stagnation, since provinces divided minute portions, , many presidents , multitude of inferior officers lay heavy on each territory. after empire split, byzantine empire developed notoriously complicated administrative hierarchy, , in time term byzantine came refer complex bureaucratic structure.

in ancient china, han dynasty established complicated bureaucracy based on teachings of confucius, emphasized importance of ritual in family, relationships, , politics. each subsequent dynasty, bureaucracy evolved. during song dynasty, bureaucracy became meritocratic. following song reforms, competitive exams held determine qualified hold given position. imperial examination system lasted until 1905, 6 years before collapse of qing dynasty, marking end of china s traditional bureaucratic system.

modern
the united kingdom

the 18th century department of excise developed sophisticated bureaucracy. pictured, custom house, london.

a modern form of bureaucracy evolved in expanding department of excise in united kingdom during 18th century. relative efficiency , professionalism in state-run authority allowed government impose large tax burden on population , raise great sums of money war expenditure. according niall ferguson, bureaucracy based on recruitment examination, training, promotion on merit, regular salaries , pensions, , standardized procedures . system subject strict hierarchy , emphasis placed on technical , efficient methods tax collection.

instead of inefficient , corrupt system of tax farming prevailed in absolutist states such france, exchequer able exert control on entire system of tax revenue , government expenditure. late 18th century, ratio of fiscal bureaucracy population in britain approximately 1 in 1300, 4 times larger second heavily bureaucratized nation, france. thomas taylor meadows, britain s consul in guangzhou, argued in desultory notes on government , people of china (1847) long duration of chinese empire solely , altogether owing government consists in advancement of men of talent , merit only, , british must reform civil service making institution meritocratic. influenced ancient chinese imperial examination, northcote–trevelyan report of 1854 recommended recruitment should on basis of merit determined through competitive examination, candidates should have solid general education enable inter-departmental transfers, , promotion should through achievement rather preferment, patronage, or purchase . led implementation of majesty s civil service systematic, meritocratic civil service bureaucracy.

france

like british, development of french bureaucracy influenced chinese system. under louis xiv of france, old nobility had neither power nor political influence, privilege being exemption taxes. dissatisfied noblemen complained unnatural state of affairs, , discovered similarities between absolute monarchy , bureaucratic despotism. translation of confucian texts during enlightenment, concept of meritocracy reached intellectuals in west, saw alternative traditional ancien regime of europe. voltaire claimed chinese had perfected moral science , françois quesnay advocated economic , political system modeled after of chinese.

napoleonic france adopted meritocracy system , saw rapid , dramatic expansion of government, accompanied rise of french civil service , complex systems of bureaucracy. phenomenon became known bureaumania . in 19th century, napoleon attempted reform bureaucracies of france , other territories under control imposition of standardized napoleonic code. paradoxically, led further growth of bureaucracy.

other industrialized nations

by mid-19th century, bureaucratic forms of administration firmly in place across industrialized world. thinkers john stuart mill , karl marx began theorize economic functions , power-structures of bureaucracy in contemporary life. max weber first endorse bureaucracy necessary feature of modernity, , late 19th century bureaucratic forms had begun spread government other large-scale institutions.

the trend toward increased bureaucratization continued in 20th century, public sector employing on 5% of workforce in many western countries. within capitalist systems, informal bureaucratic structures began appear in form of corporate power hierarchies, detailed in mid-century works organization man , man in gray flannel suit. meanwhile, in soviet union , eastern bloc nations, powerful class of bureaucratic administrators termed nomenklatura governed aspects of public life.

the 1980s brought backlash against perceptions of big government , associated bureaucracy. politicians margaret thatcher , ronald reagan gained power promising eliminate government regulatory bureaucracies, saw overbearing, , return economic production more purely capitalistic mode, saw more efficient. in business world, managers jack welch gained fortune , renown eliminating bureaucratic structures inside corporations. still, in modern world, organized institutions rely on bureaucratic systems manage information, process records, , administer complex systems, although decline of paperwork , widespread use of electronic databases transforming way bureaucracies function.