bureaucracy

[ byoo-rok-ruh-see ]

noun

, plural bu·reauc·ra·cies.

1. government by many bureaus, administrators, and petty officials.
2. the body of officials and administrators, especially of a government or government department.
3. excessive multiplication of, and concentration of power in, administrative bureaus or administrators.
4. administration characterized by excessive red tape and routine.

bureaucracy

/ bjʊəˈrɒkrəsɪ /

noun

1. a system of administration based upon organization into bureaus, division of labour, a hierarchy of authority, etc: designed to dispose of a large body of work in a routine manner
2. government by such a system
3. government or other officials collectively
4. any administration in which action is impeded by unnecessary official procedures and red tape

bureaucracy

1. A formal, hierarchical organization with many levels in which tasks, responsibilities, and authority are delegated among individuals, offices, or departments, held together by a central administration. According to many sociologists and anthropologists, the development of bureaucratic organizations is necessary for the emergence of any modern civilization. ( See Max Weber .)

Notes

Today, the term bureaucracy suggests a lack of initiative, excessive adherence to rules and routine, red tape (see also red tape ), inefficiency, or, even more serious, an impersonal force dominating the lives of individuals. ( See Big Brother is watching you .)

Word History and Origins

Origin of bureaucracy¹

First recorded in 1810–20; bureau + -cracy, modeled on French bureaucratie

Example Sentences

General Donahue, Mr. Philippone said, “is one of the few generals that are pushing full steam against the bureaucracy to innovate and modernize our military.”

From New York Times

“New urgency has been at the core of our work to bring people off the street, not the creation of new bureaucracy,” Bass said in a statement.

From Los Angeles Times

But the government has moved slowly, apparently because of regulatory questions, concerns about liability, and bureaucracy.

From Science Magazine

Lurie’s opponents underestimated his appeal, calling out his lack of political experience as a disqualifying factor when it came to leading an iconic American city known for its tangled bureaucracy and Machiavellian politics.

From Los Angeles Times

Part of the group’s task — cutting down the number of federal regulations — would be providing “sound industrial logic for mass head-count reductions across the federal bureaucracy,” Mr. Musk and Mr. Ramaswamy wrote.

From New York Times

Related Words

• administration
• authority
• civil service
• management
• ministry
• red tape