This document outlines the key components of the US federal bureaucracy according to Max Weber's model of bureaucracy. It discusses the different types of federal administrative organizations like cabinet departments, independent agencies, and regulatory boards. It also explains key aspects of bureaucracy like hierarchy, specialization, explicit rules, and merit-based hiring. Additionally, it examines the three main functions of bureaucracy as implementation, regulation, and adjudication. It provides historical examples of political influence on the bureaucracy and reforms like the Pendleton Act that began implementing a merit-based civil service.

1. POL 308
Fall 2019

5.  Cabinet Departments
 Departments of State, Defense, Commerce
 Independent Agencies
 National Science Foundation, NASA
 Regulatory Boards and Commissions
 Federal Communications Commissions
 Securities and Exchange Commission
 Government Corporations
 U.S. Postal Service; AMTRAK, FDIC

8.  Hierarchy
 Chain of command
 Specialization
 Tasks are divided
 Explicit Rules
 Personal discretion limit
 Standardization, Predictability
 Merit
 Objective criteria for hiring, etc.
Max Weber

10.  #1: Implementation (Administrator)
 How will congressional laws be implemented?
 #2: Regulation (Rule Maker)
 What rules will govern implementation?
 #3: Adjudication (Judge)
 What happens if someone breaks rules?

13.  #1: Implementation (Administrator)
 How will congressional laws be implemented?
 #2: Regulation (Rule Maker)
 What rules will govern implementation?
 #3: Adjudication (Judge)
 What happens if someone breaks rules?

14.  Influenced by congressional preferences,
political loyalty, and electoral support
 “To the victor go the spoils”
 Example: Jackson and Bank Funds
 Treasury secretaries who would
not remove funding were fired.

15. GARFIELD ASSASSINATION PENDLETON ACT (1883)
 Signed into law by Arthur
 Civil Service Commission
 Beginning of merit system for
hiring in federal bureaucracy

17.  Interstate Commerce Act (1887)
 Sherman Anti-Trust Act (1890)
 Meat Inspection Act (1906)
 Federal Reserve Act (1914)

18.  Hatch Act (1939)
 FDR and the New Deal
 Civil service employees and political campaigns
 Sunshine and Sunset Laws
 Sunshine: Open Meetings
 Sunset:Timetable for Legislation

20.  Appointment Power: Loyalty vs. Competence
 Budgetary Authority
 Reorganization – Replacement, Layering
 Delegation of Program Authority
 Central Clearance
 Cost –Benefit Analysis