The hottest Bureaucracy Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top U.S. Politics Topics

Make America Hungary Again

Can We Still Govern? • 148 implied HN points • 13 Mar 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Democracy Authoritarianism Media Control Higher education Bureaucracy
  1. The MAGA movement's admiration for Viktor Orban signifies a desire for authoritarianism over greatness, as demonstrated by Orban's undemocratic tactics in Hungary.
  2. Orban's success lies in his ability to consolidate power by controlling institutions like the media, judiciary, and higher education, mirroring patterns seen in the potential rise of American Orbanism.
  3. Orban's strategy includes increasing control over the bureaucracy to create a network of loyalists, leading to a corrupt system enabling his authoritarian rule, which American politicians are observing for potential application.

Pottinger on Trump 2.0

ChinaTalk • 296 implied HN points • 14 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy National Security Bureaucracy Pandemic response
  1. What leaders say matters - whether it's during speeches or impulsive tweets, it's important to take them seriously.
  2. High-level engagement is crucial in US-China relations - having Presidents engage directly can ensure important messages are communicated.
  3. Strategic ambiguity in foreign policy may need to be revised - particularly in the context of US commitment to defend Taiwan.

Links to Consider

In My Tribe • 394 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
💼 Business Entrepreneurship Education Government Non-profit Bureaucracy
  1. American colleges and universities have traditionally been prestigious, but recent actions have diminished their value, creating opportunities for disruption.
  2. The surge in new business formation in the US, following the pandemic, showcases the adaptability and innovation of American capitalism.
  3. Complex social problems require precise knowledge for effective solutions, and both government interventions and social activism may fall short in addressing them.

The WHO Pandemic Agreement may be worrying, but it is also really stupid

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 160 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Global Health International Law Bureaucracy Healthcare Pandemic response
  1. The WHO Pandemic Agreement raises concerns but also appears impractical, focusing on bureaucratic procedures rather than concrete solutions.
  2. The Agreement involves bloated language and vague aspirations, lacking clear strategies to improve global healthcare.
  3. Key components, like the WHO PABS System and Global Supply Chain Network, reveal convoluted bureaucratic efforts with little practical benefit.
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Is the NSC Unwell?

ChinaTalk • 207 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics National Security Foreign Policy Bureaucracy
  1. The organizational design of the NSC leads to crushing burdens for midlevel and senior staffers.
  2. Working in government is demanding and takes a toll on health, thus requiring a steady influx of talent.
  3. National security decisions require trust-building among various stakeholders and can be uniquely challenging due to high stakes and limited bandwidth.

A Note: What Is "Management" Anyway?

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 92 implied HN points • 28 Feb 24
💼 Business Management Consulting Theory Bureaucracy Market
  1. Management is different from hierarchical command-and-control, bureaucratic obedience, and market haggling. It's about reconciling various interests for the smooth operation of the system.
  2. Peter F. Drucker viewed the manager as a trustee of civilization and envisioned a role that balanced freedom, efficiency, equity, and order.
  3. Management is seen as a profession that aligns the interests of all stakeholders while ensuring the free development of individuals within society.

What David Brooks Gets Wrong about the Time Tax

Can We Still Govern? • 196 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Policy Conservatism Administration Bureaucracy
  1. David Brooks addresses administrative burdens, but overlooks contributions from private companies and conservative politicians as well.
  2. Bureaucracies tend to create administrative burdens, which accumulate over time and may not align with the organization's mission.
  3. Brooks proposes sludge audits and enhancing customer experience as ways to address bureaucracy, emphasizing that markets also generate administrative burdens.

A Crusading Clerisy

Not On Your Team, But Always Fair • 963 implied HN points • 13 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Religion Bureaucracy Academia Identity politics Law
  1. Marxism is not a religion, but post-Enlightenment progressivism ('Wokery') can be considered as one.
  2. The growth of the human-and-cultural capital class, along with technological evolution, has led to a shift towards jobs less grounded in physical reality, especially in entertainment, media, and education.
  3. Post-Enlightenment Progressivism (

Diversity Inclusion Equity as bureaucratic pathology

Not On Your Team, But Always Fair • 943 implied HN points • 25 May 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Diversity Bureaucracy Authority
  1. Bureaucracy can be both useful and pathological, making it tricky to assess and deploy.
  2. Bureaucracy focuses on tasks rather than outcomes, leading to inefficiencies.
  3. Diversity-Inclusion-Equity (DIE) programs in bureaucracies can lead to spending on bureaucracy, hoarding authority, and protecting against competence complexities.

Making sense of the DMV experience

Archedelia • 805 implied HN points • 04 Mar 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Corruption Multiculturalism Bureaucracy
  1. Getting things done at the DMV in California often requires engaging with 'fixers' who have connections in the bureaucracy.
  2. California's bureaucratic landscape reflects a shift towards multiculturalism and political monopoly, impacting how services are obtained.
  3. The collapse of the Republican Party in California has led to a political environment where competition occurs within the Democratic Party under a shared political vision.

"A Problem With Authority"—The Person You Think You Are Punching May Not Exist

72 Degrees North • 58 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
💼 Business Management Workplace dynamics Corporate culture Bureaucracy Hierarchy
  1. There may not be people who inherently have a problem with authority, it could be a construct created by workplace environments.
  2. Disobeying authority doesn't necessarily stem from resistance to orders, but could be rooted in impatience, arrogance, or ego.
  3. Corporate hierarchy and authority can sometimes be arbitrary and driven by societal norms rather than individual merit or charisma.

TMI Lessons: what was learned and what should have been learned

Gordian Knot News • 131 implied HN points • 27 Oct 23
🚌 Education Lessons Learned Accountability Regulation Bureaucracy
  1. Lessons learned from Three Mile Island highlighted the inadequacies in nuclear power safety and regulatory systems.
  2. Two major lies in the nuclear establishment were exposed at Three Mile Island, showing the need for accountability.
  3. The NRC's incompetence and flaws showcased at Three Mile Island suggest the need for a complete overhaul of the regulatory system.

ALARA

Gordian Knot News • 241 implied HN points • 05 Apr 23
🔬 Science Energy Regulation Costs Bureaucracy
  1. ALARA philosophy in nuclear regulation aims for minimal radioactive emissions.
  2. ALARA can lead to increased costs and hinder technological advancements in nuclear power.
  3. ALARA's focus on reducing radiation exposure may lead to excessive regulation and operational costs.

Iron Cage

Brain Lenses • 19 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
📖 Philosophy Sociology Economics Capitalism Theory Bureaucracy
  1. Max Weber coined the term 'iron cage' to describe how modern humans are enclosed within capitalistic systems with strict structures.
  2. The structures of capitalism and bureaucracies have created an almost indestructible shell that governs social, relational, and resource management aspects of our lives.
  3. Many people operate within this 'iron cage' without realizing the system they are enclosed in.

Of Napoleon and Kafka: A (Brief) Genealogy of Power, Part Three

Earthly Fortunes • 176 implied HN points • 20 May 23
🕹 Technology Software Organization Productivity Hierarchy Bureaucracy
  1. In the past, power shifted from the church to civil services during the Industrial and French Revolutions.
  2. Napoleon revolutionized modern warfare and governance by implementing structured hierarchies, rules, and specialist roles.
  3. Software companies today mirror bureaucratic structures with defined hierarchies, rules, and organizational processes.

Man Vs. Bureaucracy, Part 2,369

Euro Desk Paris • 39 implied HN points • 23 Mar 23
🌐 International Bureaucracy Immigration France Government Legal issues
  1. The challenges of bureaucracy and paperwork in a foreign country are highlighted, especially when dealing with expired documents and complex procedures.
  2. Navigating through bureaucratic processes can be frustrating and time-consuming, often involving multiple rejections, confusing instructions, and unexpected obstacles.
  3. The importance of persistence, creativity, and seeking alternative solutions when faced with bureaucratic hurdles, such as exploring different regions for better outcomes.

Do you want to work in wartime or peacetime?

Kartick’s Blog • 0 implied HN points • 20 Apr 23
💼 Business Workplace dynamics Startups Job security Bureaucracy
  1. Working in wartime often involves working with lower quality but not zero quality, unlike in peacetime where quality can be excessively high and unnecessary.
  2. In wartime situations like startups, there's a sense of urgency and willingness to take risks for the sake of innovation, unlike in peacetime setups where conflict avoidance and complacency can prevail.
  3. Balancing safety and risk is crucial in work environments - too much safety can lead to complacency while too little safety can cause unnecessary stress and burnout.

A Knotwork of Bureaucracies

the best of a great lot • 0 implied HN points • 01 Jul 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Government Regulation Bureaucracy Policy Legislation
  1. Governmental bureaucracies face challenges in creating effective policies due to uncertainty and complexities in human behavior.
  2. Cultural norms and organizational culture strongly influence the behavior and outcomes within bureaucracies, impacting decision-making and efficiency.
  3. Forces of dysfunction, selfish motivations, and challenges in working across multiple agencies amplify difficulties in creating successful policies within bureaucratic structures.

First World Hell

Hazy Bridge • 0 implied HN points • 09 Apr 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Bureaucracy
  1. Having to renew a driver's license can be a frustrating and tedious process at the DMV.
  2. Even in technologically advanced cities like San Francisco, the DMV experience can still be inefficient.
  3. Navigating through the DMV system can involve long wait times, unexpected obstacles, and multiple attempts to renew a license.