Bureaucracy is people who professionally deal with management issues and carry out the decisions of the highest authorities. They follow clear rules and procedures in their activities. Also this term is called
a management system based on formalism and administrative red tape.
For the first time the concept of "bureaucracy" appeared in 1745. The French economist Vincent de Gourne called this the officials who take away real power from the monarch or the people. On the contrary, the German sociologist Max Weber saw in the bureaucracy a necessary management system. He understood it as the rational work of structures, where each element works most efficiently.
Bureaucratic structures existed even in the most ancient states. Ancient Egypt and the Roman Empire were distinguished by professional management. In Imperial China, there was a complex hierarchy of officials of various ranks who wielded tremendous power over their subjects. In Russia in the 16th century, specialized government bodies, the so-called "orders", began to emerge. The reforms of Peter I gave a new impetus to the development of the bureaucracy. He replaced hereditary boyars with professional officials. The Senate, the highest bureaucratic body, appeared.
Bureaucracy was repeatedly tried to destroy in the era of bourgeois revolutions, but it was impossible to create a management system without professionalization. Therefore, bureaucratic structures are still not only preserved, but also strengthened as a result of the increasing complexity of management processes.
Bureaucracy is a complex social phenomenon and its role in a democratic system is ambiguous. Usually this word is used in a negative sense. And in most cases this is true. Bureaucracy is distinguished by inefficiency, incompetence, red tape, manipulation, concern only about their own well-being. On the other hand, everyone is aware of its power as a structure that implements the decisions of the authorities. Many see bureaucracy as a threat to the democratic political structure. It tends to turn into a privileged stratum, far from the interests of the bulk of the population. This is most clearly manifested in the conditions of a totalitarian regime.
At the same time, rational bureaucracy is one of the most important social inventions of civilization. Not a single modern state can do without a developed management system. Without it, social life will simply stop. An independent and strong bureaucracy is needed to prevent corruption in politics, to maintain many democratic procedures. In the system of managerial relations, the place of bureaucracy can be defined as intermediate between the population and the political elite. In her activities, she connects these two layers and contributes to the implementation of guidelines. This is its essential role in society and the state.