Bureaucratic Dynamics: The Role Of Bureaucracy In A Democracy

by B. Dan Wood, Richard W. Waterman

The authors of this volume seek to dispel two powerful "myths of the bureaucracy" - the belief that the federal bureaucracy is unresponsive to government and the belief that democracy itself is imperiled by an out-of-control bureaucratic process. Wood and Waterman contend that the process is in fact a highly dynamic and democratic one. Offering readable case studies and well-paired figures and tables (presented in both technical and nontechnical fashion), Bureaucratic Dynamics uses principal-agent theory to explain how the public policy system works. High-profile cases of eight federal agencies from the EPA to the FDA and discussions of major legislation such as the Clean Air Act help the authors provide a new perspective on the overall bureaucratic process for students and professionals of the bureaucracy, public policy, administration, and government regulation.

190 pages, Paperback

First published August 11, 1994

Reviews

[Christopher Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

persuasively argued. leaves me feeling a little gloomy about how little america has seemed to learn in the past thirty years. a particular favorite point of mine is that existing bureaucratic structures represent the calcification of yesteryear's public opinion and democratic process. long live bureaucracy!