In defence of bureaucracy

Objectivity, meritocracy, high bus factor. What's not to like? Most people dislike bureaucracy, and to be honest, so do I. Even so, a subjective distaste is no argument. It may be wise to understand if bureaucracy entails any benefits, so as to not throw out the baby with the bathwater. This essay does not attempt to make the point that more bureaucracy is better. Rather, it argues that some bureaucracy, wisely chosen, is better than no bureaucracy. Origins of bureaucracy # Consider the origins of bureaucracy. Believe it or not, it's an institution designed to get things done; to inject a degree of predictability and determinism into a situation that otherwise produces arbitrary results. While I'm no historian, I understand that the Sumerians, ancient Egyptians, Romans, Chinese, and others, all employed civil servants and a system of bureaucracy to control their empires. In modern times, bureaucracy has served a similar purpose, replacing feudalism with rules-bound administration. Of…