The Need for Bureaucracies

The Need for Bureaucracies

We need bureaucracies in our society today because that is how most of our nation is managed, which is through bureaucratic organizations. The reason why we have bureaucratic agencies is to build the infrastructure of the country. We have over 100 agencies that support our country. Because we have so many organizations to manage this infrastructure I will only touch on three of them. "A bureaucracy is a governmental structure of a large organization, with other small-specialized programs, whether it is private or public" (Johnson). They also can be described as a hierarchy plagued by complex rules and "red tape". But never the less we need these governmental programs for the safety, security and the upkeep of our country. The reason why these programs function they way they do is because, " bureaucracies operate in a political marketplace rather than an economic one" (Wilson). This means that elected bureaucrats set up the guidelines that are followed in a bureaucracy. This meaning, customer service and economic gains are not very high on the priority list. These programs are implemented to help to government accomplish their goals and policies.

One of the important agencies that the government has in place is the Department of Defense. This program manages the armed forces, which consist of the army, navy, air force and marines. These groups protect the country from all threats foreign and domestic. Again this goes back to the security and safety of our country. It also acts as an enforcer for the president. When all political conversation fails, the president calls upon the D.O.D. to use force. Groups like these have people that are sworn in to serve and protect our nation. For example, when we go to war we don't have to go to the local businesses and schools and ask people to fight for their country. These groups also help the president in dealing with international threats. Right now the most recent task of the D.O.D. and homeland security is the war on terrorism. Together both programs try to make sure that events like the 2001 September 11 bombing or the 2000 USS Cole bombing does not happen again.

Another important governmental program is the Department of Motor Vehicles. This department issues out drivers licenses and personal identification cards. It makes sure that the people driving, whatever type of vehicle they have are qualified to drive it. This section of the government keeps a count of the number of cars on the road. It also makes sure the cars that are registered have some form of liability or car insurance. The DMV acts like a census for vehicle control. It makes sure that the vehicles on the road are safe to drive and do not cause a hazard to other people. The department sets the policies, requirements and the standards of the road that everyone must follow. If we did not have these rules then there would be chaos on the roads. You would have cars on the roads with bad brakes or someone involved in an accident, not at fault would have to pay for their damages. It also taxes the cars on the road. Without