top of page
Bureaucracy Quotes


"The only thing that saves us from the bureaucracy is its inefficiency."


"If possible, try to avoid pushing each other over the edge, as that would cause me extra paperwork."


"The only problem that ever really seems to bother empire builders is bureaucracy. Before a new colony on the frontier could be founded, the Senate and Triumvirate would have to pass the plan. Factors influencing the High Lords decision would include, among others, the number of people needed to found the colony and whether this would result in any significant population shift. Another, more critical factor would be whether Tactical Defense could spare the ships or the manpower to patrol the area."


"The disease which inflicts bureaucracy and what they usually die from is routine."



"Twenty-first century medicine must not be confined to a twentieth-century bureaucracy."


"I believe in opening mail once a month, whether it needs it or not."


"Americans spend 3 billion hours per year filling out tax forms and keeping tax records."


"Now, come over here so I can pat you down.""But you don't have-" Percy stopped. "Uh, sure."He stood next to the armless statue. Terminus conducted a rigorous mental pat down."You seem to be clean," Terminus decided. "Do you have anything to declare?""Yes," Percy said. "I declare that this is stupid."


"Bureaucracy, the rule of no one, has become the modern form of despotism."


"I've never been married and I've no more desire to be married now than I ever have. I hate bureaucracy and I am not religious."


"Lefever describes his financing plan with modesty:"'Our detailed budget is realistic, but does not take into account the inflation that may occur before September 1983. The one place it could cut or reduce is item 7, the simultaneous interpreter services, if these services could be provided gratis by the U.S. government.'""In other words, the only way to make a saving on a U.S.-subsidized project is to take money out of another U.S.-subsidized column."
bottom of page