Characteristics of Bureaucracies.

Bureaucracies have been a hallmark of advanced capitalist economies for several centuries. Beginning with public perceptions of bureaucracies and the difference between public and private bureaucracies, this discussion turns to the origins of bureaucracies and how they are defined through reference to characteristics such as hierarchy and division of labor. The essay continues with an examination of three leading exponents of bureaucracy — Max Weber, Karl Marx and Ludwig von Von Mises — and ends with a discussion of the changes and challenges faced by public and private bureaucracies, such as deregulation, as well as the methods government regulatory agencies are using to be more responsive to taxpayers, including public comment and public notice.