Another benefit of beauraucracy, which I think is understated, is that it might be our best antidote to corruption.
When you have a networked system of approvals and records, and people whose livelihood depends on them maintaining those records in good order, it can become more risky and expensive to buy favours and break the rules than to follow them.
But you need both a good beauraucracy, and a culture of civil servants that value honesty and good order and following-the-rules. A good beauraucracy can reinforce those cultural values, and vice-versa. But just one half is not enough.
When you have a networked system of approvals and records, and people whose livelihood depends on them maintaining those records in good order, it can become more risky and expensive to buy favours and break the rules than to follow them.
But you need both a good beauraucracy, and a culture of civil servants that value honesty and good order and following-the-rules. A good beauraucracy can reinforce those cultural values, and vice-versa. But just one half is not enough.