Public Bureaucracies as ‘Rational’ Institutions
Key question/s for this theme:
I. Why were ‘rational’ features considered important during the early institutionalisation
of public bureaucracies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries?
II. What assumptions did rational theorists make about how this framework could
enhance the efficiency and accountability of these institutions?
III. Is a rational bureaucracy good for democracy and does it support a country’s
development?
IV. What assumptions did rational theorists make about how it could enhance the
usefulness of bureaucracies whilst ensuring that these institutions were subject to
political control and public accountability ?
The Emergence of a Rational Model of Bureaucracy
i. The Early Process of the Democratisation of the State
• Around the time of the French and American Revolution (18th & 19th century)
• Emergence of a constitutional government
• The idea that sovereignty lies in the hands of the people (voting)
- IMPACT: Before democratisation, public bureaucracies were under the control of
authoritarian, absolutist, autocratic, monarchy forms of governments. The process of
democratisation resulted in changes in social relations. Therefore, during this time, public
bureaucracies faced a high level of political interference.
ii. Rational Trajectory (19th to 20th century)
General Features of Rational Bureaucracies
• Bureaucracies are to act in a stable, predictable, routine, impersonal manner
• Public bureaucracies, as institutions, are designed and function according to: universal and
impersonal rules/ as well as systemic and routine processes.
• They are to act like this to act with efficiency, integrity, precision, predictability, fairness,
accessibility and ethical.
Key question/s for this theme:
I. Why were ‘rational’ features considered important during the early institutionalisation
of public bureaucracies in the late 19th and early 20th centuries?
II. What assumptions did rational theorists make about how this framework could
enhance the efficiency and accountability of these institutions?
III. Is a rational bureaucracy good for democracy and does it support a country’s
development?
IV. What assumptions did rational theorists make about how it could enhance the
usefulness of bureaucracies whilst ensuring that these institutions were subject to
political control and public accountability ?
The Emergence of a Rational Model of Bureaucracy
i. The Early Process of the Democratisation of the State
• Around the time of the French and American Revolution (18th & 19th century)
• Emergence of a constitutional government
• The idea that sovereignty lies in the hands of the people (voting)
- IMPACT: Before democratisation, public bureaucracies were under the control of
authoritarian, absolutist, autocratic, monarchy forms of governments. The process of
democratisation resulted in changes in social relations. Therefore, during this time, public
bureaucracies faced a high level of political interference.
ii. Rational Trajectory (19th to 20th century)
General Features of Rational Bureaucracies
• Bureaucracies are to act in a stable, predictable, routine, impersonal manner
• Public bureaucracies, as institutions, are designed and function according to: universal and
impersonal rules/ as well as systemic and routine processes.
• They are to act like this to act with efficiency, integrity, precision, predictability, fairness,
accessibility and ethical.
