Red Tape

Its Origins, Uses, and Abuses

Nonfiction, Social & Cultural Studies, Political Science, Government, Public Affairs & Administration
Cover of the book Red Tape by Herbert Kaufman, Brookings Institution Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Herbert Kaufman ISBN: 9780815726616
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press Publication: June 8, 2015
Imprint: Brookings Institution Press Language: English
Author: Herbert Kaufman
ISBN: 9780815726616
Publisher: Brookings Institution Press
Publication: June 8, 2015
Imprint: Brookings Institution Press
Language: English

Death, taxes, and red tape. The inevitable trio no one can escape. That wry sense of reality colors Herbert Kaufman's classic study of red tape, the bureaucratic phenomenon that all of us have encountered in some form-from the confounding tax form filled out annually to the maddeningly time-consuming wait at the driver's license bureau.

The complaints about red tape, Kaufman concedes, are legion. It's messy, it takes too long, it lacks local knowledge, it is out of date, it makes insane demands, it increases costs, it slows progress. It is, in short, a burden and many times there is no measurable positive outcome.

Kaufman takes us on an unblinking tour of the dismal landscape of red tape. But he also shows us another side of red tape, one we often forget. Red tape is how government protects us from tainted food, shoddy products, and unfair labor practices. It guarantees a social safety net for the elderly, the disabled, children, veterans, and victims of natural disasters. One person's red tape is another person's protection.

This reissue is a Brookings Classic, a series of republished books for readers to revisit or discover, notable works by the Brookings Institution Press.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

Death, taxes, and red tape. The inevitable trio no one can escape. That wry sense of reality colors Herbert Kaufman's classic study of red tape, the bureaucratic phenomenon that all of us have encountered in some form-from the confounding tax form filled out annually to the maddeningly time-consuming wait at the driver's license bureau.

The complaints about red tape, Kaufman concedes, are legion. It's messy, it takes too long, it lacks local knowledge, it is out of date, it makes insane demands, it increases costs, it slows progress. It is, in short, a burden and many times there is no measurable positive outcome.

Kaufman takes us on an unblinking tour of the dismal landscape of red tape. But he also shows us another side of red tape, one we often forget. Red tape is how government protects us from tainted food, shoddy products, and unfair labor practices. It guarantees a social safety net for the elderly, the disabled, children, veterans, and victims of natural disasters. One person's red tape is another person's protection.

This reissue is a Brookings Classic, a series of republished books for readers to revisit or discover, notable works by the Brookings Institution Press.

More books from Brookings Institution Press

Cover of the book Integrating SMEs into Global Value Chains by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book The New Autocracy by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book Getting India Back on Track by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book The New Localism by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book Financing the 2016 Election by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book The Changing Face of the Heartland by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book Obama and China's Rise by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book America's New Swing Region by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book Government by Investigation by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book Loan Sharks by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book Healing the Wounded Giant by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book The Iranian Nuclear Crisis by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book The Lingering Conflict by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book Turkey's Nuclear Future by Herbert Kaufman
Cover of the book Dealing with Dysfunction by Herbert Kaufman
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy