History Main / VastBureaucracy

* Shows up in the animated movie ''The Twelve Labors of {{Asterix}}'' (Type 2): Asterix and Obelix need to get a certain paper from a bureaucratic agency, all previous attempts to do so have ended in insanity: going up and down stairs, being informed that the form you need doesn't exist/is the wrong color, the person you need to consult is out to lunch...). (I remember watching it as a kid and asking whether it was that bad in RealLife, to which my parents responded that today, we have elevators.)
** The method Asterix uses to win is brilliant in its simplicity. [[spoiler:He turns the bureaucracy against itself: he asks for a paper that doesn't exist, but the employees try to find it anyway, exposing the weaknesses of a system where everyone has a task but doesn't know how the rest works. In the end, the employees themselves go mad.]]

* FranzKafka's novel ''The Castle'' is a classic example, which serves as the inspiration for [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEyFH-a-XoQ this]] NewsParody report from [[TheOnion The Onion News Network]].

* The Administratum in Warhammer40K is described in this manner, to the point that in the Dark Heresy RPG there is a civil war brewing within it over how to ''store'' all the paperwork.
** Indeed, with the Ecclesiarchy (Imperial Church) no better, the Guard an ill-run farce and the Navigators more or less running their own affairs, it could be said that the sole organization run properly in the Imperium is the autonomous Imperial Inquisition - and as it's purpose is to purge the Administratum and Ecclesiarchy (all the demon-killing is done by one department) it all devolves into a bloody vicious circle.

** The method Asterix figures to win is brilliant in its simplicity. [[spoiler:He turns the bureaucracy against itself: he asks for a paper that doesn't exists but the employees try to find it anyway, exposing the weaknesses of a system where everyone has a task but doesn't know how the rest works. In the end, the employees themselves go mad.]]

* ''{{Paranoia}}'' runs on this.

** On a lower level (and in the same series), Asterix goes to the the Roman army headquarters to inquire about a soldier. He's shunted from department to department until giving in and beating the crap out of the first employee he'd met for information.

* The Ministry of Magic in ''HarryPotter'', with fully staffed departments for justice, research, non-human relations, maintaining the masquerade, transport, sports, international relations, totaling at least 600 employees (the number of ministry people that built the Qudditch Stadium in ''GobletOfFire'') ruling over a nation of at most (according to the best fandom estimation) 10,000 people, or 1 bureaucrat per 17 civilians.

->''"The bureaucracy is expanding to meet needs of expanding bureaucracy."''
-->- OscarWilde

* The Ministry of Magic in ''HarryPotter'', with fully staffed departments for justice, research, non-human relations, maintaining the masquerade, transport, sports, international relations, totaling at least 600 employees (the number of ministry people that built the Qudditch Stadium in ''GobletOfFire'') ruling over a nation of at most (according to the best fandom estimation) 10 000 people, or 1 bureaucrat per 17 civilians.

[[AC:Real Life]]

* The U.S. military / industrial complex.

[[AC:{{Tabletop Games}}]]

** Indeed, with the Ecclesiarchy (Imperial Church) no better, the Guard an ill-run farce and the Navigators more or less running their own affairs, it could be said that the sole organisation run properly in the Imperium is the autonomous Imperial Inquisition - and as it's purpose is to purge the Administratum and Ecclesiarchy (all the demon-killing is done by one department) it all devolves into a bloody vicious circle.
* Reality itself runs on this in ''{{Exalted}}'', where the natural order of things is maintained by the gods of the sprawling, increasingly run-down Celestial Bureaucracy.

[[AC:{{Video Games}}]]

[[AC:{{Western Animation}}]]

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* Shows up in the AnimatedFilm ''The Twelve Labors of {{Asterix}}'' (Type 2): Asterix and Obelix need to get a certain paper from a bureaucratic agency, all previous attempts to do so have ended in insanity: going up and down stairs, being informed that the form you need doesn't exist/is the wrong color, the person you need to consult is out to lunch...). (I remember watching it as a kid and asking whether it was that bad in RealLife, to which my parents responded that today, we have elevators.)

* The {{Infocom}} text adventure ''{{Bureaucracy}}'', designed by DouglasAdams. Your 'health' is measured by your blood pressure, and if it gets too high you [[NonStandardGameOver die from an aneurysm]].

* Shows up in the AnimatedMovie ''The Twelve Labors of {{Asterix}}'' (Type 2): Asterix and Obelix need to get a certain paper from a bureaucratic agency, all previous attempts to do so have ended in insanity: going up and down stairs, being informed that the form you need doesn't exist/is the wrong color, the person you need to consult is OutToLunch...). (I remember watching it as a kid and asking whether it was that bad in RealLife, to which my parents responded that today, we have elevators.)

->''"The buraeucracy is expanding to meet needs of expanding buraeucracy."''

Occurs when more levels and sections of government are involved than really necessary. Can take many forms:
# Alphabet soups of agencies involved in one event.
# Multiple levels of bureaucracy listed.
# A shuffle among multiple departments.
# All other examples.

May have {{obstructive bureaucrat}}s, but not necessary; there are just a large number of bureaucrats, and it is not such a negative trope like that one, just neutral. The BeleagueredBureaucrat often works here. Rarely, if you are lucky, you can find the BadassBureaucrat.

Both a RealLife (as you may be chomping at the bit to relate in a TroperTales page) and fictional occurrence. May be a contributing factor to JurisdictionFriction.

* Inspired by the end credits of ''QuantumOfSolace'', with the list of thank you's to the agencies in various countries that were involved. Panama takes two lines, Mexico one, Chile one, the United Kingdom one... and Italy ''14''. Type 1.

* ''[[AmericanNewspapers The New York Times]]'' did a special report on the U.S. intelligence community and reported that it is a huge vast bureaucracy that literally ''no one'' knows about everything that is going on.

** Indeed, with the Ecclesiarchy (Imperial Church) no better, the Guard an ill-run farce and the Navigators more or less running their own affairs, it could be said that the sole organisation run properly in the Imperium is the autonomous Imperial Inquisition.

May have {{obstructive bureaucrat}}s, but not necessary; there are just a large number of bureaucrats, and it is not such a negative trope like that one, just neutral. Both a RealLife (as you may be chomping at the bit to relate in a TroperTales page) and fictional occurrence. May be a contributing factor to JurisdictionFriction.

* The Ministry of Magic in ''HarryPotter'', with fully staffed departments for justice, research, non-human relations, maintaining the masquerade, transport, sports, international relations, totaling at least 600 employees (the number of ministry people that built the Qudditch Stadium in ''GobletOfFire'') ruling over a nation of at most (according to fandom estimation) 10 000 people, or 1 bureaucrat per 17 civilians.

* TheRedTapeWar attempts to [[UpToEleven surpass the Vogons]] by having not one, but '''[[RuleOfThree three]]''' galaxy-spanning bureaucracies filled with {{Obstructive Bureaucrat}s.

* The DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse BigFinish audio ''Caerdroia'' features one of these. They have at least two similarly-named departments related to writing utensils (which the Doctor discovers when he gets the name of one department slightly wrong, and is told that's a ''different'' department), and the Doctor is told he must visit one of these departments in order to get permission to borrow a pencil. When he asks irritably whether anyone at all can help him, he's told to consult the Rhetorical or Genuine Questions Office. To make matters worse, the whole place is apparently staffed by [[NurseJenny multiple copies of the same Welshman]], and due to renovations they've taken the signs off all the doors.

* RealLife example: the disastrous incident at Waco, Texas, in 1993 largely resulted from confusion and bickering between the federal agencies conducting the siege.
* Shows up in the AnimatedMovie ''The Twelve Labors of {{Asterix}}'' (Type 2): Asterix and Obelix need to get a certain paper from a bureaucratic agency, all previous attempts to do so have ended in insanity: going up and down stairs, being informed that the form you need doesn't exist/is the wrong color, the person you need to consult is OutToLunch...). (I remember watching it as a kid and asking whether it was that bad in RealLife, to which my parents responded that today, we have elevators.)
** On a lower level (and in the same series), Asterix goes to the the Roman army headquarters to inquire about a soldier. He's shunted from department to department until giving in and beating the crap out of the first employee he'd met for information.
* ''{{Paranoia}}'' runs on this.
* As does the {{Infocom}} text adventure ''{{Bureaucracy}}'', designed by DouglasAdams. Your 'health' is measured by your blood pressure, and if it gets too high you [[NonStandardGameOver die from an aneurysm]].
* Parodied in ''TheBeiderbeckeAffair'' with a civil service building whose door numbering is constantly changed, so there's virtually no chance of ever finding the same department or person twice.

* The DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse BigFinish audio ''Caerdroia'' features one of these. They have at least two similarly-named departments related to writing utensils (which the Doctor discovers when he gets the name of one department slightly wrong, and is told that's a ''different'' department), and the Doctor is told he must visit one of these departments in order to get permission to borrow a pencil. When he asks irritably whether anyone at all can help him, he's told to consult the Rhetorical or Genuine Questions Office. To make matters worse, the whole place is apparently staffed by [[NurseJenny multiple copies of the same Welshman]], and due to renovations they've taken the signs off all the doors.
* The Central Bureaucracy in ''{{Futurama}}''.
* A Type 1 happened in ''SouthPark'' when there was an emergency and a dozen or so government agencies were fighting over who would be in charge of the situation.
* The entire plot and setting of ''{{Brazil}}'' revolves around a VastBureaucracy.
* ''[[AmericanNewspapers The New York Times]]'' did a special report on the U.S. intelligence community and reported that it is a huge vast bureaucracy that literally ''no one'' knows about everything that is going on.
* The U.S. military / industrial complex.

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* ''{{Paranoia}}'' runs on this, as does the text adventure ''{{Bureaucracy}}''. Your 'health' in the latter game is measured by your blood pressure, and if it gets too high you [[NonStandardGameOver die from an aneurysm]].

Examples:

"I'm sorry, but you'll need to see Mr. W of Department X in Division Y of Agency Z"

* Type 1: Alphabet soups of agencies involved in one event.
* Type 2: Multiple levels of bureaucracy listed.
* Type 3: A shuffle between multiple departments.
* Type 4: All other examples.

May have [[ObstructiveBureaucrat obstructive bureaucrats]], but not necessary; there are just a large number of bureaucrats, and it is not as negative trope like that one, just neutral. Both a RealLife (as you may be chomping at the bit to relate in a TropersTales page) and fictional occurrence. May be a contributing factor to JurisdictionFriction.

* Inspired by the end credits of QuantumOfSolace, with the list of thank you's to the agencies in various countries that were involved. Panama takes 2 lines, Mexico 1, Chile 1, the UK 1... and Italy ''fourteen''. Type 1.
* RealLife example: the disastrous incident at Waco, Texas in 1993 largely resulted from confusion and bickering between the federal agencies conducting the siege.
* Shows up in the AnimatedMovie The Twelve Labors of {{Asterix}} (Type 2): our heroes need to get a certain paper from a bureaucratic agency, all previous attempts to do so have ended in insanity: going up and down stairs, being informed that the form you need doesn't exist/is the wrong color, the person you need to talk to is OutToLunch...). (I remember watching it as a kid and asking if it was that bad in RealLife, to which my parents responded that today, we have elevators.)

* ''{{Paranoia}}'' runs on this, as does the text adventure ''{{Bureaucracy}}''. Your 'health' the latter game is measured by your blood pressure, and if it gets too high you [[NonStandardGameOver die from an aneurysm]].

* The DoctorWhoExpandedUniverse BigFinish audio ''Caerdroia'' features one of these. They have at least two similarly-named departments related to writing utensils (which the Doctor discovers when he gets the name of one department slightly wrong, and is told that's a ''different'' department), and the Doctor is told he must visit one of these departments in order to get permission to borrow a pencil. When he asks irritably if anyone at all can help him, he's told to consult the Rhetorical or Genuine Questions Office. To make matters worse, the whole place is apparently staffed by [[NurseJenny multiple copies of the same Welshman]], and due to renovations they've taken the signs off all the doors.
* The Central Bureaucracy in {{Futurama}}.

* FranzKafka's novel ''The Castle'' is a classic example, which serves as the inspiration for [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEyFH-a-XoQ this]] NewsParody report from [[TheOnion The Onion News Network]]

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