Bureaucrat
A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy, usually within an institution of the government.
The term "bureaucrat" today has largely negative connotations, so those who are the members of a governmental bureaucracy usually prefer terms such as civil servant or public servant to describe their jobs.
Bureaucrat jobs are usually "desk jobs", often of a clerical or organizational nature.
Max Weber defined a bureaucratic official as follows:
- He is personally free and appointed to his position on the basis of conduct
- He exercises the authority delegated to him in accordance with impersonal rules, and his loyalty is enlisted on behalf of the faithful execution of his official duties
- His appointment and job placement are dependent upon his technical qualifications
- His administrative work is a full-time occupation
- His work is rewarded by a regular salary and prospects of advancement in a lifetime career
- He must exercise his judgment and his skills, but his duty is to place these at the service of a higher authority. Ultimately he is responsible only for the impartial execution of assigned tasks and must sacrifice his personal judgment if it runs counter to his official duties.
See also: Apparatchik, Mandarin.
For the meaning within Wikimedia projects, see m:Bureaucrat