Bureaucracy for the Ages

I was recently given a copy of Reader's Digest from September, 1945, as a birthday present. It was a fun read, with everything from tips such as "You Can Write Poetry - and Enjoy It," which began, "Poetry writing provides the soldier with an absorbing pastime in which he can both lose and restore himself"; to an exciting story, "The Marvel of Jet Propulsion," about how this technology meant we would all have personal helicopters within ten years.

There were recipes, vocabulary words ("livid," "lurid" and "mayhem"), eight things to do about the Soviet Union (first was "Have good will toward the Soviet Union") and even a frustrated grocer who had problems with a "soprano demanding beef," "butter-berserk housewives" and "fluff-brained customers" who phoned in orders.

But, the nostalgia and amusement ended when I arrived at "Bureaucrats at the Multiplication Table," a narrative seemed better suited for "The Huffington Post" in 2007 than a family-friendly magazine 60 years ago.

Written by Jules Romains (identified as author of more than 60 books, "now again in France on a special government mission"), it began:

"Bureaucracy is a universal disease that threatens the modern state everywhere. Much has been written about it, but most writers have failed to reveal its gravity. They have preferred to treat it as one of those ridiculous little nuisances of daily life that persist for no known reason. My object is to show that there is no harm in laughing at Bureaucracy as long as we remember that after laughing at it we must crush it, lest it crush us."

Not wanting to confuse bureaucracy with administration, he explains, "Bureaucracy begins where legitimate, useful administration leaves off; when the bureaus through which normal Administration function grow morbidly to a size out of all proportion to their usefulness and become parasites that choke off the life they feed on."

An "unslakable thirst for paper" is one sign he notes. "[The bureaucrat] can no longer give a spoken order or discuss any matter in a few rapid phrases. He drafts memoranda and in return demands memoranda backed by reports."

Romains hopes that the end of World War II will signal the end of government bureaucracy.

"Of all systems, Democracy has most to fear from Bureaucracy, for more than any other it respects the Constitution and shrinks from abuse of authority. Consequently, it does not put Bureaucrats violently in their place; rather it humors them. Thus, they are able to spread the dictator's net, and bait it, in the heart of Democracy.... Striking more deeply, Bureaucracy prepares the way by warping the citizen's conscience and making him forget the habit and meaning of liberty...."

Was 1945 really that long ago?

Comments

[NABNYC]

The sickest bureaucrats of all are assigned to creating forms. They all agree, among themselves, that it would be much more efficient to have a pre-printed form that people fill in when, for example, they need anything at all.

So when I go to my doctor's office, every time, I have to sit and fill in a form: Name, address, phone, fax, e-mail. Someone else they can contact if necessary (about my bill?). How do I plan to pay for today's services? (check, credit card, prayer?) Age. Marital status, number of children, last period. Cancer? Leukemia? Allergies? Any history of: headaches (is there anyone in the world who never had a headache), backaches, eyestrain, nausea, vomiting, problems sleeping, acne? Anyone in my family have any history of: (list). Is my father/mother still living? If no, what did they die from, and when?

And I'm sitting in a chair with my blood pressure rising, my rage bubbling up from deep inside thinking: I'm here for a Flu Shot!! And I get so mad about having my time wasted with this nonsense that I get a headache, and I begin to feel nauseaus. So I have to go back and change the form and admit that sometimes, I get headaches and feel pukey.

Who was it? Some feminist said your stuff expands to fill the space available. Your work expands to fill the time available. And I will add: the number of ridiculous forms we have to fill out expands based upon the number of completely useless bureaucrats available.

[VictorLudorum]

Most leaders ,when they are in position ,neglect,that they are here for four years . but they speak away plans that could take decades. This makes bureacracies that Romain showed confidence could end with ww2.

other Bureacracies come from 'bird of feather' in the administeration.According to Walter Baghehots British Constitution 'bureacracies have a perticular urge to maintain themselves more intellectually and style-wise ahead.

[JScott]

I like looking at the old automobile ads in old mags. The Cadillac ads were cool which depicted a color matched Cadillac with a 'jeweled crest' by DeBeers from the late 50's to the early 60's.

[kaseybandit]

Interesting historical perspective.

[ThreeCentsWorth]

Fascinating that consumer-driven "Reader's Digest" thought this was important enough to cover in 1945, along with its usual recipes, favorite characters and relationship tips. Sad thing is how far we have not progressed. Bureaucracy is so imbedded in our everyday lives, and people feel helpless to do anything about it.

[priorzola]

As if those (usually very wealthy and unwilling to pay their fair share of taxes) find the same problem with the growing number of middlemen in the private sector as they have with the growing bureaucracy in the government. Both are indicative of a growing phenomenon in both the public and private arenas, with fewer people willing to lead and even fewer willing to do the heavy lifting to get work done, we now have more trying to convince others of their so-called expertise to reap benefits of those who do the real work.

All the consultants, advisors, commisioners and aides in the government have their counterparts in the private sector including people such as personal assistants, nannies, and stylists whom I am almost certain the likes of Candy Spelling has employed herself.

The simple fact is is that our political, economic, and personal lives have been made so complicated that politicians are removed from their constituencies, bosses are removed from their laborers, and even parents are removed from their children.

The day the likes of Candy Spelling and her kin can learn to make it through their day without their precious nannies, personal assistants, and nannies and learn to do the simple things in life most people once did for themselves (such as raise their own children and pick out their own outfits) is the day the likes of Candy Spelling can complain about the abundance of people that is required to execute a war, maintain an infrastructure and provide a safety net for 300 million people in the wealthiest nation on earth.

[ThreeCentsWorth]

Reader's Digest has a lot more influence than Max Weber. I'm not saying that's good, but it's reality. Pointing out that Reader's Digest was warning of the consequences of bureaucracy 60+ years ago is a good way to get people realizing today how wrong things have gone.

[StephenSmoliar]

1945 is an interesting year for those with an academic interest in social theory. My guess is that very few people (including Romains) knew about Max Weber back then; and those who did were getting their knowledge from the essays of C. Wright Mills (whose following was probably pretty limited). The Gerth-Mills anthology of Weber's own writings would only appear (thanks to Oxford University Press) the following year (1946). This would include not only the extended chapter on bureaucracy from ECONOMY AND SOCIETY but also some valuable introductory material that discussed, among other things, Weber's visit to the United States and how that shaped his views of bureaucracy. To this day Weber probably still presents the best understanding of both the necessity and dangers of bureaucracy. I am all for listening to voices from the past, but I think we can find better sources than a 1945 issue of the READER'S DIGEST!

[DICKERSON3870]

I'M SORRY MS. SPELLING, BUT THIS SOUNDS A BIT TOO MUCH LIKE THE CULT OF OBJECTIVISM TO ME! WHILE IT IS TRUE THAT TOO MUCH BUREAUCRACY IS DETRIMENTAL; THE SAME IS TRUE FOR TOO LITTLE BUREAUCRACY! /// John Lewis-Dickerson, Atlanta

[Libsrule]

Dude, kill the all caps. It's rude and sounds like your yelling at everyone.

[lruettimann]

Wow. Candy Spelling gets it right with this post about bureaucracy and is reconciled with Tori, to boot! Seriously, this is really interesting & why I read The Huffington Post. I love the different voices.

[mommadona]

So, you think
the elections
will be held
this time?

[scootmandubious]

You don't need to reach back to 1945 for ominous warnings about a government where bureaucracy is run amok.

I'm thinking 1984.

Now in its 23rd year.

[January]

How about Kafka's "The Castle"? I read somewhere that he wrote his stories just to entertain his friends, so they could sit around and howl with laughter. It ain't funny any longer. Our worst fears have a way of coming true. Which is exactly the case with "1984."

[Chip1222]

I'd give up my helicopter for a little less bureaucracy.