bureaucracy
English meaning: Bureaucracy
English Definition
(English)Bureaucracy (from French bureau, office + Greek kratos, power) refers to the administrative system of government with clear hierarchies, written rules, specialisation, and standardised procedures. Max Weber identified it as the most rational and efficient form of large-scale organisation — though critics note it can become rigid, slow, and self-serving.
English Definition
A system of government characterised by complex rules, specialised roles, hierarchical structure, and impersonality. The Indian Administrative Service (IAS) is the premier civil service, implementing government policy at national and state levels.
Example
“India's civil services exam, conducted by UPSC, selects around 1,000 officers annually from over a million applicants for the IAS, IPS, and IFS.”
In English: “The UPSC exam selects India's top civil servants through a highly competitive process.”
Synonyms
- civil service
- administration
- officialdom
Antonyms / Opposites
- anarchy
- informal governance
Literary Heritage
“O, it is excellent to have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant.”
“O, it is excellent to have a giant's strength; but it is tyrannous to use it like a giant.”
Images
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Language information
- Language
- English
- English
- Script
- Latin
- Family
- Indo-European
- Speakers
- 1.5B