Bureacracy

THE EVOLUTION AND CONCEPT OF BUREAUCRACY

Ana Marie G. Ramirez

BUREAUCRACY

Introduction

Before we can even begin to understand the concept of Bureaucracy we must first understand what the word means or at least know how it originated.

In the Oxford British and World English Dictionary, the word is defined as a system of government in which most of the important decisions are taken by state officials rather than by elected representatives;

Bureaucracy (as defined in the New World Encyclopedia) is derived from the word bureau, used from the early eighteenth century in Western Europe to refer not only to a writing desk, but to an office, or a workplace, where officials worked. The original French meaning of the word bureau was the baize used to cover desks. The Greek suffix kratia or kratos means "power" or "rule." Bureaucracy thus basically means office power or office rule, the rule of the officialdom. The term bureaucracy came into use shortly before the French Revolution of 1789, and from there spread rapidly to other countries.

The term "bureaucracy" was introduced

by the French philosopher, Vincent de

Gourmay, in 1765 and has had a negative

connotation since its introduction. While

the term “laissez faire”, also introduced by

de Gourmay, builds up an image of

freedom of action and efficiency, the term

“bureaucracy” suggests routines,

constrained behaviour and inefficiency.

Concept

Bureaucracy is a concept in sociology

and political science referring to the way in

which the administrative execution of legal

rules is socially organized.