"Bureaucracy" in the words of Max Weber, "is the rule of elected officials".There is a degree of control,exertion of power and the delegation of authority,all of which are codified based on structured rules and fitted in a framework upheld by law.By and large,Bureaucracy is expected to be rational, de-personified and impartial in implementing these laws.This,can be told, an authentic definition of Bureaucracy by theory.
The next question ,"where does this framework comes from and whom does it consider the master?".Various civilizations have had varied structures with the central idea of providing a 'Regulated' distribution of services and protection of people confined within the respective territory or culture or a religion or a geographic separation.Numerous theories had been put forth in describing and detailing the functions of this framework.The results were also not linear;while thee French revolution was against bureaucracy,the later phase of Industrial France only helped to cement the bureaucratic structure(with principles though).Then came Hegel and Marx theories which considered Bureaucracy as a separate entity.Not just an entity but an extension of bourgeois playing fiddle to the power arch.
The legal-rational approach pf Weber happened in 1870's and was considered ideal for some decades, though not without critics.The burn out of Bureaucracy as structure happened through the Keynes approach of Modern economy and market becoming the center stage leaving out the bureau as a whip to control.So as argued by many today,bureaucracy stands at the cross roads of Privatization,New Management,Political dichotomy,Welfare and Development administration.All these are now taken to the flying ground of Digitization under which Bureaucracy gapes to propel itself.So this concludes the technical aspect of the broken fabric of Bureaucracy at the present time.
To answer the question which I had made the title of this post,Bureaucracy,by and large,is the only framework that had existed despite odds to reach the common public through its extensive structures and functions.The executive considered the second wheel of democracy is required despite the market framework that drives our life.Though the functions of a bureaucrat had varied,say, from a guarantor to a license inspector to a regulator to a lobbying agent,its sphere of influence has not shrunk but expanded.Though the hierarchy structure had considerably been scaled down with the digital approach of transparency and accountability, the framework largely remains untouched and stands as the best way to social reform through policy making and implementation.
The above paragraphs validates the technical reason of Why I like to become a bureaucrat.The personal aspect of the answer carries a humane tone.Though pride and tenure are the byproduct of becoming a bureaucrat,the choice of 'Pareto optimality' (doing greater good for the greater number of people) acts as a fulfilling reason why one should like to or become a bureaucrat.
With that being said,can the aim of philanthropy be met by trying to work from within the framework?.True,that the Organisational fabric of Bureaucracy has been eroded by political lobbying,due negligence and a rapid sway of market force.Further more,the laws,at times, by themselves inhibit action of service.This is the basic challenge of a bureaucrat with a vision.To choose growth or to stick to development.Both these scenarios are contradictory at many instances particularly when dealing with the subjects of justice and environment.Despite this a bureaucrat from the personal point of view have a career to interact with the threads of development and her/his goal will be to accentuate growth though development.
The key note lies here, "Learn the rules like a pro so that you can rewire them as an artist with a grandeur detailing".In addition to the above said merits,one gets constantly exposed to the current changes in the field of public policy and henceforth a larger scope of learning.Rather than a specialist at one field,I prefer to be a jack of all trades as an all weather acclimatized bureaucrat.
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