Unit 3's Bureaucracy Quiz

1. The complex structure of offices, tasks, rules, and principles that organize all large-scale institutions to coordinate the work of their personnel is

• bureaucracy.
• federalism.
• regulation.
• efficiency.

2. ________ is responsible for making the laws, but ________ is responsible for putting laws into effect.

• The Bureaucracy; Congress
• The President; Congress
• Congress; the bureaucracy
• The Supreme Court; Congress

3. One of the main resources and distinguishing characteristics of the federal bureaucracy is

• expertise.
• few career civil servants.
• lack of specialized training.
• transition teams.

4. The bureaucracy’s hierarchical structures and standardized procedures are intended to foster

• the ability of political parties to make policy decisions.
• equal treatment of citizens.
• long waits for citizen services.
• the ability of politicians to interfere with elections.

5. In writing and passing the Affordable Care Act, Congress ________ the task of defining “essential health benefits” to the Department of Health and Human Services.

• rescinded
• delegated
• politicized
• privatized

6. The vast majority of federal bureaucrats work under the

• spoils system.
• merit system.
• judiciary.
• business system.

7. Since 1950, compared with the entire U.S. workforce, the number of federal employees has

• increased sharply.
• increased slightly.
• gradually declined.
• decreased sharply.

8. The number of state and local government employees has

• remained relatively unchanged since 1950.
• declined since 1950.
• increased since 1950.
• always been less than the number of federal government employees.

9. Privatization is a way to

• downsize government in that the workers provide goods and services are no longer counted as government bureaucracy.
• recruit and retain talented employees in the career civil service.
• reduce procedures that regulate government contracts.
• eliminate the need for government officials to manage and oversee the private companies that carry out government work.

10. As a safeguard against political interference, merit-system employees

• are awarded jobs based on campaign contributions.
• are forbidden from working in the Federal Labor Relations Authority.
• have legal protection against being fired without show of cause.
• cannot reach top management ranks through the Senior Executive Service.