188 Quotes About Bureaucracy

Uniformity in the common law, consisting of broad principles like the "reasonable person" standard, generally permits adjustment for the circumstances. This type of uniform principle is almost synonymous with fairness. Uniform application of a detailed rule, on the other hand, will almost always favor one group over another. p. 34

Deliberate misfiling ran fingernails down the blackboard of his very soul.

The most natural action of a senior official is to breed junior officials.

Bureaucracy destroys initiative. There is little that bureaucrats hate more than innovation, especially innovation that produces better results than the old routines. Improvements always make those at the top of the heap look inept. Who enjoys appearing inept?

But in Africa bureaucrats are usually too proud to accept a bribe, something I admire when I'm not the one being arrested.

Widespread commercial distribution of ice was so new that 300 tons of the precious commodity melted at one port while customs officials tried to figure out how to classify it.

The perfect bureaucrat everywhere is the man who manages to make no decisions and escape all responsibility.

There is something about a bureaucrat that does not like a poem.

Bureaucracies force us to practice nonsense. And if you rehearse nonsense, you may one day find yourself the victim of it.