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Date Submitted: 02/01/2013 02:36 AM
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.