JAF Fellowship Breakfast
Is bureaucracy necessary or desirable?
Professor Daniel Carpenter
Bureaucracy (connoting a formalized, hierarchical organization run according to rules) has a negative connotation, which is understandable in a world that prizes freedom and efficiency. And yet there are certain social forms that likely could not survive without it. One example would be the role of bishops (episcopal organization) in the Catholic Church. Another might be most governments worldwide.
(1) does the rule of law require bureaucratic organization, to some degree? If so, when do we see “too much” bureaucracy?
(2) can or will AI replace bureaucracy and will that be a good or bad thing? (On the negative side, will we all end up complaining to machines?).
(3) Can bureaucracy ever be made more personal, more humane? How?
