Bureaucracy Quote by John Reith, 1st Baron Reith
“By the time the civil service has finished drafting a document to give effect to the principle, there may be little of the principle left.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: BBC Policy Review, 1934
Bureaucratic processes often dilute original principles, leaving them weakened.
In simple terms: Process can erode intent.
Key Takeaway
Guard core values against procedural drift.
Themes
bureaucracy
principles
policy
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
philosophical
practical
When to use this quote
- government drafting
- corporate policy
- lawmaking
- project management
Key Concepts
Organizational theory
ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we preserve intent?
- What safeguards protect principles?
A Different Perspective
Rigid processes can also ensure consistency.
![“When the fountains of government [borrowing] abundance began to dry up, when through lack of funds and the impossibility of negotiating fresh loans the state was forced to check the extension of bureaucracy and to put a stop to public works, then and then only did the Italians realize what it…” quote by John T. Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/908/john-t-flynn-18493_abundance_when-the-fountains-of-government-borrowi_2663.jpg)
![“[The Utopia of Rules] should offer a challenge to us all. Should we just accept this bureaucracy as inevitable? Or is there a way to get rid of all those hours spent listening to bad call-centre music? Do policemen, academics, teachers and doctors really need to spend half their time filling in…” quote by Gillian Tett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/223/gillian-tett-57286_accepting_the-utopia-of-rules-should-offer-a-chall_39418.jpg)
