American Politics Today - Essentials (3rd Ed)

STUDY GUIDE|^351

SUMMARY

The bureaucracy has grown substantially since the turn
of the twentieth century, largely in response to citizen
demands that the government do more for the people.
Though the federal government had a very limited role in
daily life for much of the nineteenth century, it expanded
during the Progressive Era, when regulatory activity
increased and the spoils system was replaced by the fed-
eral civil service. The bureaucracy expanded again with the
New Deal and Great Society programs, which increased the
number of services the government provided.

KEY TERM

federal civil service (p. 332)

PRACTICE QUIZ QUESTIONS

4. How did the bureaucracy change during the
   Progressive Era?
   a) It expanded the delivery of government services
   directly to individuals.
   b) The spoils system was established.
   c) It created a number of antipoverty and educational
   programs.
   d) It reduced the government’s regulatory activity.
   e) It increased the government’s regulatory activity.
   5. The civil service reforms of the Progressive Era
   the spoils system and
   the power of party organizations.
   a) ended; increased
   b) ended; decreased
   c) instituted; increased
   d) instituted; decreased
   e) expanded; increased
   6. What eff ect did the Reagan Revolution have on
   bureaucracy?
   a) The government stopped passing regulatory policies.
   b) The size of the federal government shrunk.
   c) The size of the federal government expanded.
   d) The civil service reforms were weakened.
   e) The civil service reforms were strengthened.

HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN BUREAUCRACY

E Trace the expansion of the federal bureaucracy over time. Pages 331–34

THE MODERN FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY

E Describe the size and structure of the executive branch today. Pages 334–39

SUMMARY

The modern bureaucracy serves a wide range of functions,
but the division of labor within the bureaucracy does not
always have an obvious logic. Overlapping or confusing
jurisdictions can be the result of elected offi cials attempt-
ing to shape the agency’s behavior by assigning a task to an
executive department rather than an independent agency.
The overall size of the bureaucracy refl ects the demands of
constituents but also fi ts the needs of elected offi cials who
can improve their chances of re-election.

KEY TERMS

Offi ce of Management and Budget (p. 335)

independent agencies (p. 335)

CRITICAL THINKING AND DISCUSSION

Suppose you are a member of Congress who must decide

whether to give bureaucrats in a particular agency direct

orders that allow them little or no input, or to allow them to

exercise their own discretion. What factors should you con-

sider when making this decision?