BUREAUCRAT PUPPETS

STRINGS UNATTACHED?

The dictionary meaning of a bureaucrat is: ‘An official who is rigidly devoted to the details of administrative procedure’. But do our so-called “bureaucrats” stand up to the definition of their posts? Or are they merely puppets in the hands of the political masters?

Here I have compared what German sociologist Max Weber defined a bureaucratic official as and what the definition has changed to:

·         He is personally free and appointed to his position on the basis of conduct.
versus
He is not personally free and appointed to his position on the basis of contacts.

·         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.
versus
He exercises the authority delegated to him in accordance with personal rules, and his loyalty is enlisted on behalf of the faithful execution of his official duties to the ruling party.

·         His appointment and job placement are dependent upon his technical qualifications.
versus
His appointment and job placement are dependent upon his social qualifications.

·         His administrative work is a full-time occupation.
versus
His administrative work is a full-time occupation when a powerful public servant needs him.

·         His work is rewarded by a regular salary and prospects of advancement in a lifetime career.
versus
His work favouring a particular party 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.
versus
He must not exercise his judgment and his skills. Ultimately he is responsible only for the partial execution of assigned tasks and must sacrifice his official judgment if it runs counter to his personal duties.

·         Bureaucratic control is the use of rules, regulations, and formal authority to guide performance.
versus
Bureaucratic control is the use of rules, regulations, and formal authority to guide performance under specific conditions and superiors.

While narrowing down the term ‘bureaucrats’ in terms of the Indian constitution, we can count District collectors, IAS and IPS officers. As many of us are aware, to reach such designations, it requires years of dedication towards education and values. But what happens after they get into the system? 

They lose their ethics under the pressure of their puppeteers.
Every politician in the country is aware of the power and fame of any bureaucrat, and so are they themselves. But it seems that the former make a better use of this. The question is: why do they blindly follow the orders? The bureaucrats, not being unaware of their position, tend to succumb to the ill-fated wishes of Ministers, scared by the consequences of one action by a powerful politician. It can cost them their health, wealth, security, fame or family. And, their inactivity against corruption is not justified. Or, some may not be terrorized by the results on their career, and are driven by their greed.

And what does this lead to?
We may have come across this example (in reality or in fiction) where the DSP or SP states that he/she is not in a position to take an action against an MP or the CM. Do you think this is a flaw of the constitution?  Or just the cowardliness of a bureaucrat that he is unable to force constitutionally correct decisions over the corrupt ones? Any democrat has the potential to reject the dominion of corruption. But do they?
The outcome is an overall increment in the corruption levels of the system. Henceforth, any specified task cannot be efficiently completed at higher or lower levels of the government.

Another question which would arise in this scenario would be:
who is more at fault? The bureaucrats? Or their controlling politicians?

One would say, that since the flow of power is from the politicians to the bureaucrats, corrupt acts should be killed at the roots, i.e., it is the responsibility of the politicians to maintain the dynamo of the government. On the other hand, if bureaucrats do not accept such work place values, they can control it in the threshold.  But the truth remains that if one part of a system is malfunctioning, the whole system malfunctions.

What possible improvements can be made to the existing system?
Improvements can be made only when each unit (from the first person to the population) starts working for benefit of the whole, and not just personal interests.

SANJANA WADHWA,

CREATIVE HEAD,

IBC