Discuss the historical process by which the federal bureaucracy grew from its original size to its present size.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The bureaucracy has been transformed by changes in the demands on government as a result of social, economic, and technological developments. As the economy grew and became more complex and interdependent, the bureaucracy grew in response to the demands of major economic interests (e.g., agriculture, commerce) and the need of the public for protection from exploitation by powerful economic interests. Later, Franklin Roosevelt's New Deal led to the biggest expansion of the federal bureaucracy and the creation of a host of new regulatory and welfare agencies. Still later, Lyndon Johnson's Great Society and the increasing complexity of society resulted in the formation of agencies (e.g., Department of Transportation and the Department of Housing and Urban Development) to deal with issues that were traditionally in the realm of state governments.