Bureaucracy
/bjʊˈrɑːkrəsi/
nounB2
Definition
Bureaucracy means a way of organizing work or government that uses many rules, official papers, and different departments. It often involves many people who have specific jobs to do, and decisions follow strict steps to keep order and fairness.
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See It in Action
A system of government or organization with many rules and departments
- •The country's bureaucracy makes sure laws are followed.
- •Large companies often have a lot of bureaucracy to manage their work.
- •Dealing with bureaucracy can be slow because of all the paperwork.
The people who work in this system and follow the rules
- •The bureaucracy decided to approve the new plan.
- •Many people complain about the bureaucracy being too slow.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'bureaucracy' like 'rules' (A1 word), but many rules working together in a big system with people and offices
- ✓Picture a large office building with many rooms and workers, each with a special task and papers to fill out
- ✓It's the feeling when you wait a long time because you must follow many steps to get permission or help
- ✓Sounds like 'bureau-cracy' → imagine a 'bureau' (desk or office) full of people making decisions by checking papers carefully
- ✓Think of a post office or government office where many forms must be signed before you get what you want
- ✓NOT like 'freedom' (no rules), bureaucracy means many rules and procedures everyone must follow
- ✓NOT like 'chaos' (no order), bureaucracy is about order, but sometimes too much order or slow work
- ✓NOT like 'simple' system, bureaucracy is complex with many layers and steps
Try Other Words
- •Administration: the group of people managing an organization (Use when focusing on the people who run the organization)
- •Red tape: many unnecessary rules and steps (Use when complaining about slow or difficult bureaucracy)
- •Organization: a group working together (Use when meaning any group, less formal than bureaucracy)
- •Management: the act of running or controlling something (Use when focusing on control and decision-making)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "bureau" (French for office) + "-cracy" (Greek suffix meaning rule or government)
- •Etymology: From French "bureaucratie," combining "bureau" (desk/office) and Greek "-kratia" (power or rule)
- •Historical development: First used in the 18th century to describe government offices with many rules and officials
- •Modern usage: Used for any large organization or government system with many rules and official steps; often has a negative meaning about being slow or too complicated
Reflect & Connect
•How does bureaucracy help keep order in large organizations, and when can it become a problem?
•Can you think of a time when you had to deal with bureaucracy? How did it make you feel?
Fill in the blanks
1.The bureaucracy requires you to fill out many ___ before your application is accepted.
2.People often complain that bureaucracy makes processes ___ and difficult to finish quickly.
3.In a bureaucracy, decisions usually follow strict ___ to make sure everything is fair.
4.Unlike a small company, a bureaucracy has many ___ and departments working together.
5.When you deal with bureaucracy, you often need to wait for ___ from different offices.
6.The word "red tape" is used to describe ___ that slow down bureaucracy.
7.The bureaucracy is important because it helps organize ___ in governments and big companies.