Useful definition
Bureaucracy is derived from the word bureau, used from the early 18th century in Western Europe not just to refer to a writing desk, but to an office, i.e. a workplace, where officials worked. The original French meaning of the word bureau was the baize used to cover desks. The term bureaucracy came into use shortly before the French Revolution of 1789, and from there rapidly spread to other countries. The Greek suffix -kratia or kratos - means “power” or “rule”. Bureaucracy thus basically means office power or office rule, the rule of the officialdom.
December 1st, 2006 at 4:43 pm
it ommits the fact that it buggers most of mortals off.