--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Bureaucratic systems are not set up to be…" description: "\"Bureaucratic systems are not set up to be what we refer to as human service organizations. They were established to collect revenue and maintain law an..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/ruth-simmons-16832_approach_bureaucratic-systems-are-not-set-up-to-b_810661.jpg" --- # Bureaucratic systems are not set up to be what we refer to… ![“Bureaucratic systems are not set up to be what we refer to as human service organizations. They were established to collect revenue and maintain law and order and they used a law and order approach in providing family planning services.” quote by Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/ruth-simmons-16832_approach_bureaucratic-systems-are-not-set-up-to-b_810661.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/ruth-simmons-16832_approach_bureaucratic-systems-are-not-set-up-to-b_810661.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/189/ruth-simmons-16832_approach_bureaucratic-systems-are-not-set-up-to-b_810661.jpg) > “Bureaucratic systems are not set up to be what we refer to as human service organizations. They were established to collect revenue and maintain law and order and they used a law and order approach in providing family planning services.” [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Bureaucracies prioritize revenue and order over human‑centered service, limiting compassionate care. **In simple terms:** Systems focus on rules, not people. Key Takeaway Advocate for people‑first policies. Themes bureaucracy service policy humanity Mood critical reflective Type analytical philosophical When to use this quote - healthcare - social services - government agencies Key Concepts institutional design public administration ethics Questions to Reflect On - How can we redesign systems for empathy? - What incentives shift focus to service? A Different Perspective Changing entrenched structures is difficult. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Approach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/approach/) [Family](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family/) [Family planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/family-planning/) [Human service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-service/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law and order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-and-order/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Organization](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organization/) [Planning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planning/) ## Related quotes > [A focus on people's health and well-being must be the core of family planning research and policy. This may seem self-evident, but the realities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/a-focus-on-people-s-health-and-well-being-must-be-the-core-of-family/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [The conservative goal has been the Third Worldization of the United States: an increasingly underemployed, lower-wage work-force; a small but growing moneyed class that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-parenti/the-conservative-goal-has-been-the-third-worldization-of-the-united/) [Michael Parenti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-parenti/) > [Real success requires respect for and faithfulness to the highest human values-honesty, integrity, self-discipline, dignity, compassion, humility, courage, personal responsibility, courtesy, and human service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-e-debakey/real-success-requires-respect-for-and-faithfulness-to-the-highest/) [Michael E. DeBakey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-e-debakey/) > [ \[Larry Kramer\] got really mad at me once. The precipitating incident was a speech at Yale by the first President Bush's Secretary of Heath… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-sessums/larry-kramer-got-really-mad-at-me-once-the-precipitating-incident-was/) [Kevin Sessums](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-sessums/) > [At every other workplace in the nation - even Mal-Mart! - workers are being laid off. But no one at any of the bloated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/at-every-other-workplace-in-the-nation-even-mal-mart-workers-are/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Human service is the highest form of self-interest for the person who serves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/human-service-is-the-highest-form-of-self-interest-for-the-person-who/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [There is no higher religion than human service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-schweitzer/there-is-no-higher-religion-than-human-service/) [Albert Schweitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-schweitzer/) > [I don't know about you, but I'm betting that when it comes to doing the right and good thing, the Little Sisters of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeb-bush/i-don-t-know-about-you-but-i-m-betting-that-when-it-comes-to-doing/) [Jeb Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeb-bush/) > [The youth of today and the youth of tomorrow will be accorded an almost unequaled opportunity for great accomplishment and for human service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-murray-butler/the-youth-of-today-and-the-youth-of-tomorrow-will-be-accorded-an/) [Nicholas Murray Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-murray-butler/) > [Business is a matter of human service.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/milton-s-hershey/business-is-a-matter-of-human-service/) [Milton S. Hershey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/milton-s-hershey/) > [The Path is not to be found anywhere except in human service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/idries-shah/the-path-is-not-to-be-found-anywhere-except-in-human-service/) [Idries Shah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/idries-shah/) > [A tree is the greatest human service provider. It provides shade while standing, comfort when converted and fire when burned to death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tasneem-hameed/a-tree-is-the-greatest-human-service-provider-it-provides-shade-while/) [Tasneem Hameed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tasneem-hameed/) > [The largest portion of our state budget is Health and Human Services. It will grow by approximately $500 million. A half a billion dollars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitt-romney/the-largest-portion-of-our-state-budget-is-health-and-human-services/) [Mitt Romney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitt-romney/) > [Health and Human Services has an enormous amount of discretion that they have so far used to make it harder to get affordable health…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-ryan/health-and-human-services-has-an-enormous-amount-of-discretion-that/) [Paul Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-ryan/) > [There is no higher religion than human service. To work for the common good is the greatest creed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/there-is-no-higher-religion-than-human-service-to-work-for-the-common/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) ## More by Ruth Simmons > [A focus on people's health and well-being must be the core of family planning research and policy. This may seem self-evident, but the realities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/a-focus-on-people-s-health-and-well-being-must-be-the-core-of-family/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [I was intent on doing something productive and on being everything my parents taught me to be. Their values were clear: do good work;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/i-was-intent-on-doing-something-productive-and-on-being-everything-my/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [In the late 60s, 70s and possibly early 80s, social scientists were interested in researching the diffusion of innovation and studying the link between…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/in-the-late-60s-70s-and-possibly-early-80s-social-scientists-were/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [I would like to see policy makers and international donor agencies realize that it is not enough to give money for demonstration projects. From…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/i-would-like-to-see-policy-makers-and-international-donor-agencies/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [High level policy makers and program managers do not normally listen to the voices of local people, local providers and local program managers when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/high-level-policy-makers-and-program-managers-do-not-normally-listen/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [The humanities don't belong to some elitist group... knowledge as a whole should be embraced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/the-humanities-don-t-belong-to-some-elitist-group-knowledge-as-a/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [If policy makers and program managers participate in an interdisciplinary assessment team, make informal visits to local families and have in-depth conversations with local…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/if-policy-makers-and-program-managers-participate-in-an/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [If you are the kind of person who listens to conservative advice, you may do okay in life, but you probably won't ever be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/if-you-are-the-kind-of-person-who-listens-to-conservative-advice-you/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [We have emphasized the importance of applied action research because it allows evidence-based policy and program development and a focus on learning. We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/we-have-emphasized-the-importance-of-applied-action-research-because/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [When ownership is local and national, and various stakeholders work together, program innovations have a greater chance to take root and survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/when-ownership-is-local-and-national-and-various-stakeholders-work/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [There are hundreds, even thousands of remarkable pilot or experimental projects in all fields - in agriculture, health, education. But where do these pilots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/there-are-hundreds-even-thousands-of-remarkable-pilot-or-experimental/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [One of the things we have learned in the first year is that if you want to scale-up, the first thing you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/one-of-the-things-we-have-learned-in-the-first-year-is-that-if-you/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [If instead policy makers and program managers participate in an interdisciplinary assessment team, make informal visits to local families and have in-depth conversations with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/if-instead-policy-makers-and-program-managers-participate-in-an/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [I came to understand the value of education, not just to enable me to make a good living, but to enable me to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/i-came-to-understand-the-value-of-education-not-just-to-enable-me-to/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) > [We are trying to discover where this approach could have the greatest possibility of large-scale impact. We have to choose wisely and see where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-simmons/we-are-trying-to-discover-where-this-approach-could-have-the-greatest/) [Ruth Simmons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) [Explore all 38 Ruth Simmons quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-simmons/) ## More Approach quotes > [I think a new world will arise out of the religious mists when we approach our Bible with the idea that it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/i-think-a-new-world-will-arise-out-of-the-religious-mists-when-we/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [I'm in a business where there's complete anarchy. You can't control it - you can only react to it. 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I try to understand the emotional graph of the character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pratik-gandhi/i-don-t-have-any-particular-method-my-approach-is-very-simple-i-try/) [Pratik Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pratik-gandhi/) > [“But young men have not only this frivolous ambition of being thought masters of execution, inciting them on the one hand, but also their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-young-men-have-not-only-this-frivolous-ambition-of-being-thought/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everything, every part that you approach has to be somehow rooted in yourself. You have to somehow root everything so that it's not just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/everything-every-part-that-you-approach-has-to-be-somehow-rooted-in/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [Literature transforms and intensifies ordinary language, deviates systematically from everyday speech. If you approach me at a bus stop and murmur Thou still unravished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-eagleton/literature-transforms-and-intensifies-ordinary-language-deviates/) [Terry Eagleton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-eagleton/) > [The whole secret to mastering the game of golf - and this applies to the beginner as well as the pro - is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/the-whole-secret-to-mastering-the-game-of-golf-and-this-applies-to/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [The essence of Christianity...is an ever-new encounter with... the God who speaks to us, who approaches us and who befriends us!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/the-essence-of-christianity-is-an-ever-new-encounter-with-the-god-who/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. 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