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What is Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy?

Question #148335. Asked by serpa.
Last updated Mar 12 2021.
Originally posted Mar 10 2021 2:14 AM.

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elburcher star
Answer has 7 votes
Currently Best Answer
elburcher star
24 year member
1550 replies avatar

Answer has 7 votes.

Currently voted the best answer.

Pournelle's Iron Law of Bureaucracy states that in any bureaucratic organization there will be two kinds of people":

First, there will be those who are devoted to the goals of the organization. Examples are dedicated classroom teachers in an educational bureaucracy, many of the engineers and launch technicians and scientists at NASA, even some agricultural scientists and advisors in the former Soviet Union collective farming administration.

Secondly, there will be those dedicated to the organization itself. Examples are many of the administrators in the education system, many professors of education, many teachers union officials, much of the NASA headquarters staff, etc.

The Iron Law states that in every case the second group will gain and keep control of the organization. It will write the rules, and control promotions within the organization

link https://www.jerrypournelle.com/reports/jerryp/iron.html

Mar 10 2021, 3:33 AM
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akg1486 star
Answer has 2 votes
akg1486 star
15 year member
91 replies avatar

Answer has 2 votes.
I have nothing to add to the answer, but I couldn't resist thanking those who asked and answered the question: very interesting and very poignant. Thank you; I had never heard of neither the person nor the law.

Turns out the same guy had (he's dead now) some more laws:

link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerry_Pournelle#Pournelle's_laws

Mar 12 2021, 10:56 AM
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