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The Bureaucracy in American Democracy: Control and Power Dynamics

Explore the intricate relationship between the bureaucratic system and the branches of government in the U.S., addressing accountability, separation of powers, and methods to regulate bureaucratic activities within the constitutional framework.

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The Bureaucracy in American Democracy: Control and Power Dynamics

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Presentation Transcript

  1. The Bureaucracy Readings from Woll

  2. Background • 4th branch of government • Accountability • Not responsible for democracy • Not in constitutional framework • Separation of powers • Developed by custom • Statutory law • Pawns in the power struggle between Congress and President

  3. Woll • Agencies exercise powers of each branch • Ultimately power in government comes fro administrative branch • How can we control the activities of the administrative branch? • Constitutional limits • Democratic participation

  4. Federalist 72 • Hamilton considered administration an assistant to the president • It ought to be subject to his superintendence • Evolution of authority • Presidential supremacy • Congress has authority over administrative process • Bureaucratic organizations function independent of presidency

  5. Congress maintains control over agencies • Creation and destruction of agencies • Defining jurisdiction of agencies • Through appropriations • Congress sets up agencies outside purview of presidency • Congress refuses to give president reorganization authority

  6. President appoints certain officials (with advice and consent of the Senate) • Predominance of president in foreign and military affairs • Only official nationally elected • Democratically accountable • Stand as people’s representative

  7. Judicial review? • Tested procedures, impartiality • Limits executive and legislative control • Opposition of departments • Leads to arbitrary government • Combines various functions • Strict adherence to the Constitution • Battleground of power for the 3 branches in our fragmented system – success!

  8. Wilson • Private-sector political demands have led to the American democracy • Not a conspiracy to increase power • Pluralism to divide power into clientele sectors • Founders argued over powers of Congress, Presidency, and the states • Little discussion of administration • President to have sole removal power

  9. Original departments small and limited • WWI, Great Depression, WWII circumstance of growth • Example of numbers in the SSA • Example of the task of DOE • Growth not a problem due to ideological views differing

  10. Ways bureaucratic power can be gathered • Too large • Too much authority • Not responsive to people • May be necessary for modernity • Must deliver to exist • Look at history…

  11. Growth in services like USPS • Military industrial complex • Position in world • New technology weapons • Specialized purchases • Promotion of economic industry • New Deal • Subsidies • Regulations

  12. Cooperative federalism • Chief clients are the states • Grants-in-aid • 1960s • National goals • Self-perpetuating agencies • Adopt broad coalitions • New Deal • Great Society

  13. Political relationships • Hard to alter • For the common good • In the name of particular interests • American bureaucracy breaks down • Possible for factional interests to acquire supportive power without submitting to effective scrutiny or modification of other interests

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