"Efficient bureaucrats can be more deadly than disorganized fanatics".
- from Julian Jackson, France on Trial: The Case of Marshall Petain.
Jackson is also the author of an outstanding biography of Charles de Gaulle, a brilliant, brave, infuriating, and enigmatic figure.
The above observation comes after this passage:
"When asked how he could justify Vichy's measures against Jews and freemasons, Peyrouton, who had been a high ranking colonial administrator under the Republic, told the court: 'I did not ask myself this kind of question. I have told you, and I repeat: I am not a Republican; I am not an anti-Republican. I am an agent of the French government.'"
Another side to this occurs when the bureaucrats through manipulation take on the operation of government themselves (see, for instance, Yes Prime Minister, the classic BBC series). Several years ago I was at a Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) conference in Phoenix which included attending an Arizona Fall League game. At the game I ended up sitting next to a recently retired guy who spent his career as a high ranking civil servant at the US Department of Agriculture. At one point I asked for more details about his job was and he responded, "to make sure the political appointees did not make any important decisions". Just being efficient, in his view.
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