Ap Us Gov't - Chapter 15

Front 1

Bureaucracy

Back 1

According to Max Weber, a hierarchical authority structure that uses task specialization, operates on the merit principle, and behaves with impersonality. Bureaucracies govern modern states.

Front 2

Patronage

Back 2

One of the key inducements used by political machines. A patronage job, promotion, or contract is one that is given for political reasons rather than for merit or competence alone. Compare civil service and the merit principle.

Front 3

Pendleton Civil Service Act

Back 3

Passed in 1883, an Act that created a federal civil service so that hiring and promotion would be based on merit rather than patronage.

Front 4

Civil Service

Back 4

A system of hiring and promotion based on the merit principle and the desire to create a nonpartisan government service.

Front 5

Merit Principle

Back 5

The idea that hiring should be based on the entrance exams and promotion ratings to produce administration by people talent and skill.

Front 6

Hatch Act

Back 6

A federal law prohibiting government employees from active participation in partisan politics.

Front 7

Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

Back 7

The office in charge of hiring for most agencies of the federal government, using elaborate rules in the process.

Front 8

General Scheduling (GS) Rating

Back 8

A schedule for federal employees, ranging from GS 1 to GS 18, by which salaries can be keyed to rating and experience.

Front 9

Senior Executive Service (SES)

Back 9

An elite cadre of about 9,000 federal government managers, established by the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978, who are mostly career officials but include some political appointees who do not require Senate confirmation.

Front 10

Independent Regulatory Agency

Back 10

A government agency responsible for some sector of the economy, making and enforcing rules to protect the public interest. It also judges disputes over these rules

Front 11

Government Corporation

Back 11

A government organization that like business corporations, provides a service that could be provided by the private sector and typically charges for its services. The U.S. Postal Service is an example. Compare independent regulatory and independent executive agency.

Front 12

Independent Executive Agency

Back 12

The government not accounted for by cabinet departments, independent regulatory agencies, and government corporations. Its administrators are typically appointed by the president and serve at the president's pleasure. NASA is an example.

Front 13

Policy Implementation

Back 13

The stage of the policymaking between the establishment of a policy and the consequences of the policy for the people whom it affects. Implementation involves translating the goals and the objectives of a policy into an operating, ongoing program. See also judicial implementation.

Front 14

Standard Operating Procedures

Back 14

Better known as SOPs, these procedures are used by bureaucrats to bring uniformity to complex organizations. Uniformity improves fairness and makes personnel interchangeable. See also administrative discretion.

Front 15

Administrative Discretion

Back 15

The authority of administrative actors to select among various responses to a given problem. Discretion is greatest when routines, or standard operating procedures, do not fit the case.

Front 16

Street-Level Bureaucrats

Back 16

A phrase coined by Michael Lipsky, referring to those bureaucrats who are in constant contact with the public and have considerable administrative discretion.

Front 17

Regulation

Back 17

The use of governmental authority to control or change some practice in the private sector. Regulations pervade the daily lives of people and institutions.

Front 18

Command-and-Control Policy

Back 18

According to Charles Schultze, the existing system of regulation whereby government tells business how to reach certain goals, checks that these commands are followed, and punishes offenders. Compare incentive system.

Front 19

Incentive System

Back 19

According to Charles Schultze, a more effective and efficient policy than command-and-control; in the incentive system, market-like strategies are used to manage public policy.

Front 20

Deregulation

Back 20

The lifting of restrictions on business, industry, and professional activities for which government rules had been established and that bureaucracies had been created to administer.

Front 21

Executive Orders

Back 21

Regulations originating from the executive branch. Executive orders are one method presidents can use to control the bureaucracy.

Front 22

Iron Triangles

Back 22

A mutually dependent relationship between bureaucratic agencies, interest groups, and congressional committees or subcommittees. Iron Triangles dominate some areas of domestic policymaking.