Word: bureaucracy (noun)

Associations

Bureaucracy means a system of government or organization where important decisions are made by state officials or administrators rather than elected representatives. It often involves many rules, procedures, and paperwork.

• In government, bureaucracy refers to the many departments and officials who carry out laws and policies.
• In companies, bureaucracy can mean complex procedures and many layers of management.
• People sometimes use "bureaucracy" to describe slow or complicated processes caused by too many rules. A well-known synonym is "administration," but bureaucracy usually implies more complexity and rigid rules, while administration is more neutral and general.

Substitution

You can replace "bureaucracy" with:

• administration — more neutral, focuses on managing.
• civil service — refers to government workers who are part of bureaucracy.
• red tape — informal, means excessive rules causing delays. Changing the word changes the tone: "red tape" is negative, "administration" is neutral.

Deconstruction

The word comes from French "bureau" (office) + Greek suffix "-cracy" (rule, power). "Bureau" means office or desk where officials work. "-cracy" means a type of government or rule. So, bureaucracy literally means "rule by offices" or "power held by officials."

Inquiry

• Can you think of an example where bureaucracy helped solve a problem?
• Have you experienced bureaucracy in your school, work, or government?
• How do you feel about bureaucracy: helpful or frustrating? Why?