Even the word “bureaucracy” itself has that heavy, multi-syllabic quality that somehow fits its meaning perfectly - it sounds as cumbersome as the thing it describes. So let’s cover the clichés people say: Images of endless forms in triplicate, rigid procedures, impersonal systems, labyrinthine rules.

What if we paused and stopped criticizing and looked again? At its root, bureaucracy is simply an attempt to bring order, fairness, and consistency to complex society. It’s meant to ensure accountability, equality, and clarity in how decisions are made. The problem isn’t bureaucracy itself — it’s when the system forgets its purpose and begins to serve itself rather than the people within it.

The Financial Times asks: What if we paused and stopped criticizing and looked again? At its root, bureaucracy is simply an attempt to bring order, fairness, and consistency to complex society. It’s meant to ensure accountability, equality, and clarity in how decisions are made. The problem isn’t bureaucracy itself — it’s when the system forgets its purpose and begins to serve itself rather than the people within it.