In what ways bureaucracy in developing countries is less efficient when compared with developed countries? Analyse.
Refer – The Hindu
IAS Parliament 6 years
KEY POINTS
Developed Vs Developing
· Bureaucracy is new in developing countries compared to developed countries.
· Developed countries efficiently deal with its citizens, who are slow in responding to bureaucracy.
· Because, the societies that they governed were mostly individualised and are prepared to function bureaucratically.
· But, in developing countries institutionally, people are not bureaucracy-receptive resulted in rigid and strict bureaucracy.
· These regulations force people to change their behaviour and dynamics instantly.
· And also, it didn’t address the slow responders efficiently.
Inefficiency in coping with slow responders
· In societies such as India, citizen-state interaction is historically built on patronage and personal relations; bureaucratic forms of engagement are recent.
· The ‘modern’ forms of citizen-state engagement through the bureaucracy do not go well with ‘traditional’ citizens.
· Societies carry a historical burden of norms and customs.
· Mostly informal in nature, these institutions cannot be changed overnight.
· It will take some time for the traditional citizens to respond to the newer bureaucracy.
· (E.g.) Even though, Swach bharat mission have been given such full impetus, people will only adapt to such practices slowly and gradually.
· If the bureaucracy is not empathetic to those who are slow in responding, it will be hugely damaging to society as a whole.
· (E.g.) The recent starvation death of a girl in Jharkhand due to the ration supplies cut off for non-linking Aadhar with ration card.
Solutions
· In diverse societies, bureaucracies have to be contextual, and therefore emotional.
· Design framework for bureaucracy to be emotional rather than a mere catalogue.
· New laws and regulations introduced in any society must recognise the informal social norms society is predicated upon.
· Bureaucracy must be designed for everyone, and not just for the urban elites.
