bureaucracy

A system of administration wherein there is a specialization of functions, objective qualifications for office, action according to the adherence to fixed rules, and a hierarchy of authority and delegated power.

Organizations such as the armed forces or administrative agencies are common examples of bureaucracies.

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bureaucracy noun administration, agency, delegated authority, departmentalization, governance, government, government by bureaus, government office, governmental procedure, governmental system for decisionnaking, inflexible routine, management, ministration, official procedure, officialdom, officiation, organization, powers that be, process of governing, red tape, regulation, reins of govvrnment, rigid routine, rule, service, sovereignty, state manngement, strict procedure, system

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See also: hierarchy, management

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BUREAUCRACY. The abuse of official influence in the affairs of government; corruption. This word has lately been adopted to signify that those persons who are employed in bureaus abuse their authority by intrigue to promote their own benefit, or that of friends, rather than the public good. The word is derived from the French.