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CHAPTER 15
The Bureaucracy
MULTIPLE CHOICE
1. The definition of bureaucracy includes all of the following notions EXCEPT
a.
a large organization.
b.
authority divided among several managers.
c.
complexity of structure.
d.
appointed officials.
e.
an issue network.
2. Of the following, which one is NOT an example of a bureaucracy?
a.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
b.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
c.
A large university
d.
A large corporation
e.
None of the above is true.
3. The text argues that many of the problems of bureaucracy in government arise from its
a.
formality.
b.
political context.
c.
remoteness from everyday life.
d.
complexity.
e.
transparency.
4. The authors suggest bureaucracy is the outgrowth of
a.
federalism.
b.
representative democracy.
c.
separation of powers.
d.
judicial review.
e.
executive privilege.
5. Today, the federal government contains how many cabinet departments?
a.
10
b.
12
c.
14
d.
15
e.
20
6. In Great Britain, civil servants are directed explicitly by the ministers in charge of their departments.
In the United States, civil servants often must obey both the heads of their agencies and
a.
the independent agencies.
b.
White House staff.
c.
professional groups.
d.
lobbies.
e.
Congress.
7. When an agency such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) makes an important decision, it
is quite likely to be taken to court. This is an example of what is meant by
a.
government bureaucracy.
b.
impedimentary government.
c.
red tape.
d.
adversary culture.
e.
reciprocal administration.
8. One can find elements of government by proxy in the administration of
a.
Social Security.
b.
Medicare.
c.
environmental protection.
d.
collection of income taxes.
e.
All of the above are true.
9. Scholar Donald F. Kettl termed the “Mildred Paradox” to describe
a.
how many average citizens receive costly federal government services over long periods
of time without every directly interacting with civil servants.
b.
how government-by-proxy is more flexible than traditional government.
c.
how many average citizens understand the cost of government.
d.
how unitary systems are affected by government-by-proxy.
e.
None of the above is true.
10. In the First Congress, it was decided that appointed federal officials would be removable by
a.
either the president or the Congress.
b.
the president and Congress acting together.
c.
the president alone.
d.
Congress alone.
e.
the Supreme Court.
11. During the early years of the federal government, this department held most of the power.
a.
Department of the Interior
b.
War Department
c.
Post Office Department
d.
State Department
e.
Treasury Department
12. During most of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, appointments to the civil service were based
primarily on
a.
merit.
b.
education.
c.
patronage.
d.
wealth.
e.
experience in government.
13. Between 1816 and 1861, the number of federal employees increased eightfold, in large part because of
a.
an increase in the need for government accountants.
b.
an increase in the need for Secret Service agents.
c.
dramatic increases in new government functions.
d.
growth in the Post Office.
e.
increases in military staff.
14. The text refers to the Civil War as the “great watershed in bureaucratic development” because
a.
citizens start to realize the importance of bureaucracy.
b.
fighting the war led to the hiring of many new officials and the creation of new offices.
c.
the Union had better bureaucrats than the Confederacy.
d.
state governments were able to manage the growth in government from the war.
e.
bureaucrats became popular among the people.
15. The creation of the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) led to the federal government
a.
regulating the national economy for the first time in a meaningful way.
b.
supporting state’s efforts against regulation.
c.
assuming complete control of the railroads.
d.
opposing civil service reforms.
e.
None of the above is true.
16. A laissez-faire economy
a.
is restrictive but fair.
b.
is supported by the general public.
c.
is freely competitive.
d.
is based on rapid industrialization.
e.
mixes industry and agriculture.
17. Periodically, the size of the bureaucracy has grown substantially. These times of growth have
generally occurred during
a.
depressions.
b.
wars.
c.
periods of prosperity.
d.
recessions.
e.
election years.
18. A dramatic increase in size of the federal bureaucracy occurred during the twentieth century, largely as
a consequence of
a.
the growth of patronage and the rise of political parties.
b.
the Sixteenth Amendment and the Social Security Act.
c.
a desire for limited government and an end to earlier regulatory practices.
d.
the Great Depression of the 1930s and World War II.
e.
the rise of special-interest groups and unions.
19. The __________ to the Constitution allows the federal government to tax income.
a.
Sixteenth Amendment
b.
Nineteenth Amendment
c.
Twenty-first Amendment
d.
Twenty-second Amendment
e.
Twenty-sixth Amendment
20. The number of civilians working for the federal bureaucracy has not increased much since 1960. This
observation fails, however, to account for the
a.
enormous decrease in the government workforce that occurred between 1986 and 1990.
b.
enormous increase in the government workforce that occurred between 1965 and 1970.
c.
enormous increase in state bureaucracies that occurred during this period.
d.
enormous increase in local bureaucracies that occurred during this period.
e.
growing number of people who work indirectly for the government.
21. The discretionary authority of appointed officials is their authority to
a.
shift federal dollars without clear authorization.
b.
not implement legislation.
c.
make policies that are not spelled out in advance by laws.
d.
spend federal monies, even though they are not officially part of the federal bureaucracy.
e.
act on behalf of government officials and represent the government in courts of law.
22. Of the following factors, which does NOT explain the behavior of bureaucratic officials?
a.
How they are recruited
b.
Their personal attributes
c.
The influence of outside forces on them
d.
Their party preferences
e.
How they are rewarded.
23. A person appointed to a government position after passing an examination is probably joining the
a.
excepted service.
b.
competitive service.
c.
patronage system.
d.
Department of State.
e.
Department of Justice.
24. A post office worker or Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agent would typically be part of the
federal bureaucracy known as
a.
the competitive service.
b.
Schedule C positions.
c.
the merit service.
d.
the contingent service.
e.
the excepted service.
25. Which of the following statements concerning the Pendleton Act is incorrect?
a.
It was passed during a Republican administration.
b.
It was, in part, a response to public outrage over abuses of the spoils system.
c.
It was, in part, a response to the assassination of President Garfield.
d.
It was passed to avoid mass firings of Republicans.
e.
It enhanced the power of patronage in federal appointments.
26. Using what the text refers to as the “buddy system,” an agency can circumvent the usual Office of
Personnel Management (OPM) search process by
a.
blanketing in a job candidate.
b.
issuing a merit dispensation.
c.
asking the president to appoint a specific candidate.
d.
tailoring a job description to a specific candidate.
e.
limiting the scope of a search to a specific region.
27. In order to cope with the difficulty of firing federal bureaucrats, managers often
a.
deny promotions to the workers.
b.
transfer the workers.
c.
assign meaningless work to them.
d.
Options A, B, C, and D are true.
e.
None of the above is true.
28. Which of the following was created in 1978 in an attempt to give the president more flexibility in
dealing with high-level bureaucrats?
a.
Civil Service Reform Commission
b.
Merit System Protection Board
c.
Senior Executive Service (SES)
d.
Office of Personnel Management (OPM)
e.
Presidential Task Management Board (PTMB)
29. The fact that agencies usually recruit their own staff, often on a name-request basis, should lead us to
expect that these recruits will possess the
a.
intelligence of a turnip.
b.
legal viewpoints of relevant interest groups.
c.
political will to initiate new struggles.
d.
necessary expertise to advise political officials.
e.
agency point of view.
30. If one examines the education, gender, race, and social origins of the federal civil service as a whole,
a.
it is clear that females are overrepresented.
b.
it is clear that there are more minorities than whites.
c.
it is clear that no attempt has been made to make it look anything like a cross section of
American society.
d.
it looks very much like a cross section of American society.
e.
it is clear that wealth is a prerequisite for employment.
31. According to the text, bureaucrats with more conservative views are more likely to be found in the
a.
Treasury Department.
b.
Federal Trade Commission.
c.
Environmental Protection Agency.
d.
Food and Drug Administration.
e.
None of the above is true.
32. Studies have shown that Democrats and people with liberal views are more likely to be
overrepresented in
a.
defense agencies.
b.
social service agencies.
c.
the Environmental Protection Agency.
d.
the Food and Drug Administration.
e.
the Federal Trade Commission.
33. The Whistle Blower Protection Act of 1989 is designed to protect
a.
agencies that are being undermined by their employees.
b.
agencies that are being undermined by Congress.
c.
agency heads who fire employees for misconduct.
d.
bureaucrats who tell on their bosses.
e.
bureaucrats who are not career employees.
34. The culture of the State Department tends to reward
a.
skill in political negotiations.
b.
being an expert on international economics.
c.
embassy security.
d.
a background in local economics.
e.
political supporters.
35. This federal agency employees more than 500,000 career employees making it the second largest
employer in the United States (behind Walmart).
a.
United States Postal Service (USPS)
b.
Department of Defense (DOD)
c.
Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
d.
Department of State (DOS)
e.
United States National Park Service
36. One of the major constraints under which government agencies operate is the
a.
obligation of leadership to restructure frequently.
b.
power of issue networks to determine agency policy.
c.
absence of competing forces in the public sector.
d.
presence of a great many highly structured roles.
e.
large number of regulations to which they must adhere.
37. The Freedom of Information Act and the Administrative Procedure Act are examples of
a.
constraints on bureaucracy.
b.
early, unconstitutional attempts to restrain bureaucrats.
c.
laws that apply only to Congress.
d.
regulations that principally limit executive powers.
e.
laws that apply only to congressional staff.
38. The National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 requires
a.
private companies to issue environmental impact statements on an annual basis.
b.
nonprofit entities to monitor their environmental actions.
c.
the EPA to examine international trend in pollution prevention.
d.
agencies to issue an environmental impact statement when undertaking any major action
that may affect the environment.
e.
states to implement cap and trade networks.
39. Under the Privacy Act of 1974, __________ must be kept confidential.
a.
telephone conversations
b.
government documents
c.
court decrees
d.
judicial orders
e.
Social Security and tax records
40. A particularly important constraint on bureaucratic power is the need to
a.
carry out the policies of the president.
b.
check congressional power.
c.
obtain agreement from other parts of the bureaucracy.
d.
obtain the approval of Congress.
e.
restructure agencies with each new administration.
41. Among the effects of the many constraints on government agencies is the fact that
a.
many important issues tend to receive scant attention.
b.
taking action is easier than blocking action.
c.
lower-ranking employees are reluctant to make decisions on their own.
d.
government sometimes acts too quickly.
e.
decisions are often sweeping and inflexible.
42. An “iron triangle” is a strong coalition comprised of
a.
an issue network, a policy committee, and an international group.
b.
an agency, a congressional committee, and an interest group.
c.
the president, a congressional committee, and an interest group.
d.
the secretary of defense, the president, and the secretary of state.
e.
an issue network, a congressional committee, and an agency.
43. Iron triangles are less common today than they once were because
a.
agencies today are pressured by so many interest groups.
b.
they are no longer allowed by many agencies.
c.
congressional leadership is so much stronger today.
d.
the courts have stepped in to limit the intervention of interest groups in agency affairs.
e.
special interests have aligned themselves with congressional leaders.
44. Probably the most effective means an agency has of remaining powerful is
a.
cultivating public opinion.
b.
attaining a monopoly on technical expertise in a particular policy area.
c.
pleasing congressional staff.
d.
doing its job well.
e.
entering alliances with influential interest groups.
45. The authors suggest that, ultimately, “red tape” comes from
a.
power hungry bureaucrats.
b.
Congress.
c.
the executive branch.
d.
us, the people.
e.
iron triangles.
46. __________ is a type of alliance described by Hugh Heclo that consists of people in Washington-
based interest groups, on congressional staffs, in universities and think tanks, and in the mass media,
who regularly debate a particular government policy.
a.
Red tape
b.
Issue networks
c.
Iron triangles
d.
Fluid networks
e.
Laissez faire
47. One way that Congress exercises authority over agencies is through
a.
the statutes that create and define them.
b.
control of Office of Personnel Management (OPM) hiring practices.
c.
the use of discharge petitions.
d.
dismissal of an agency head.
e.
the use of the Civil Service Exam.
48. When a law originating in a legislative committee specifies a certain sum of money, it is called a(n)
__________ measure.
a.
allocation
b.
appropriation
c.
monetary-enhancement
d.
fiscal
e.
authorization
49. When Congress formally sets aside money for a specific use, it is called a(n) __________.
a.
allocation
b.
appropriation
c.
monetary-enhancement measure
d.
fiscal measure
e.
authorization measure
50. __________ funds operate outside of the regular government budget, and the appropriation
committees have no control over these expenditures.
a.
Trust
b.
Monetary
c.
Treasury
d.
Federal reserve
e.
None of the above is true.
51. The process of revising agency budget requests is commonly called __________.
a.
gutting
b.
reconciling
c.
bait and switch
d.
marking up
e.
red-marking
52. The power of the House Appropriations Committee over agency budgets has recently diminished, in
part because of
a.
an increase in marking-up practices by other House committees.
b.
congressional concern with meeting spending limits.
c.
the 1983 Supreme Court ruling on the legislative veto.
d.
a decline in the use of trust funds by Congress.
e.
an increase in legislative inducements to restrict spending on entitlement programs.
53. The effect of a legislative veto is to
a.
give Congress control over certain executive decisions.
b.
strip House chairpersons of powers of appropriation.
c.
give Congress control over the appointment of agency heads.
d.
strip House chairpersons of powers of authorization.
e.
return power to subcommittees.
54. The legislative veto was declared unconstitutional in
a.
Immigration and Naturalization Service v. Chadha.
b.
United States v. Nixon.
c.
Brown v. Board of Education.
d.
Marbury v. Madison.
e.
Donnell v. Tarkenton.
55. Among the pathologies commonly attributed to bureaucracies are all of the following EXCEPT
a.
conflict.
b.
synergism.
c.
duplication.
d.
imperialism.
e.
waste.
56. One bureaucratic pathology described by the text is conflict, meaning the tendency of agencies to
a.
grow, irrespective of the benefits and costs of their programs.
b.
work at cross purposes with one another.
c.
spend more than is necessary to buy some product or service.
d.
generate complex and sometimes overlapping rules.
e.
complicate matters that are better left to commonsense solutions.
57. One bureaucratic pathology described by the text is imperialism, meaning the tendency of agencies to
a.
work at cross purposes with one another.
b.
spend more than is necessary to buy some product or service.
c.
grow, irrespective of the benefits and costs of their programs.
d.
generate complex and sometimes conflicting rules.
e.
complicate matters that are better left to commonsense solutions.
58. To reduce waste in government, one will probably have to increase __________.
a.
synergism
b.
duplication
c.
taxes
d.
imperialism
e.
red tape
59. The National Performance Review, led by Vice President Al Gore, argued that the problem with
bureaucracy was that
a.
it had become too centralized.
b.
too rule-bound.
c.
too little concerned with making programs work.
d.
too much concerned with avoiding scandal.
e.
All of the above are true.
60. Bureaucratic inefficiency might be desirable in that it might help
a.
protect our liberties.
b.
reduce spending.
c.
increase trust in government.
d.
create an environment of dependency.
e.
restrict conflicts between the branches.
TRUE/FALSE
1. Walmart’s organization is an example of a bureaucracy.
2. Bureaucracy is an outgrowth of representative democracy.
3. In most Western European nations, the government owns and operates large parts of the economy.
4. Government-by-proxy is used to describe a government that is cutting key services.
5. As its first Secretary, Thomas Jefferson ensured that the Treasury Department would be a powerful
part of the young federal government.
6. The Civil War led to large growth in the federal bureaucracy.
7. The Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) was the first federal bureaucratic agency that exercised
broad regulatory authority over the economy.
8. As president, Richard Nixon set up a system of price and wage controls.
9. Before 1913 and the Sixteenth Amendment, the federal government could not collect income taxes.
10. Unlike the excepted service, the competitive service is administered by the Office of Personnel
Management (OPM).
11. Since the 1970s, the federal government’s white-collar workforce has become more diverse
in occupations.
12. When President Obama took office, he had about the same number of political jobs to fill as
President Kennedy.
13. Grover Cleveland fired as many as 40,000 Republican postmasters and replaced them with Democrats.
14. Passage of the Pendleton Act was encouraged by the assassination of James Garfield.
15. The buddy system tends to produce poor employees.
16. It is very easy to fire a bureaucrat.
17. The Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 created the Senior Executive Service (SES) to allow the
president more flexibility in firing and transferring higher officials.
18. Agencies tend to be dominated by lifetime bureaucrats who have worked for no other agency.
19. Perhaps the most significant constraint on bureaucratic power is the necessity to follow procedures set
down in laws.
20. The intent of the NPR was to make it easier for the president and his cabinet secretaries to run the
bureaucracy.
ESSAY
1. Define bureaucracy and give examples of types of bureaucracies.
2. What are three aspects of our constitutional system and political traditions that give bureaucracy a
distinctive feature?
3. Compare the United States bureaucracy to the United Kingdom bureaucracy.
4. Explain why federal agencies originally emphasized a service role.
5. Discuss some of the procedures to fire a federal bureaucrat.
6. Identify some examples of laws that have provided constraints to bureaucratic behavior.
7. What are some of the effects of constraints on bureaucratic agencies?
8. How have appropriations committees lost power over government agencies in recent years?
9. What are some examples of bureaucratic pathologies discussed in the text?
10. What were the findings of the National Performance Review and its suggestions for reform?
