Have just learned that 'bureaucrat'/'bureaucracy' are used differently in the US than here. In the UK they have an air of faint insult (red tape/jobsworth) about them. But I just read a US news story using them neutrally and even positively: someone described approving as a "career bureaucrat". - ThreadSky

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john-self.bsky.social • 28 days ago

Have just learned that 'bureaucrat'/'bureaucracy' are used differently in the US than here. In the UK they have an air of faint insult (red tape/jobsworth) about them. But I just read a US news story using them neutrally and even positively: someone described approving as a "career bureaucrat".

Comments

williamasclarke.bsky.social•28 days ago

I don't think that’s quite right. After the Oklahoma bombing Clinton pledged to stop calling civil servants "government bureaucrats". I think it’s more that contempt for their own "bureaucracy" is so embedded that it’s repeated unthinkingly (see also jokes about "going postal" and the DMV).

mattshenton.bsky.social•28 days ago

I always think entrepreneur should be pejorative, presumably with nuances of "middle-man" and "skimmer"

victoriaredfern.bsky.social•28 days ago

Similarly, I think they call politicians 'lawmakers' because 'politician' is a bit insulting - as it was in this country in the 16th century.

simonjr.bsky.social•28 days ago

I have nothing but admiration for anyone who can spell the word, never mind be one

suzycorrigan.bsky.social•28 days ago

If related to Washington DC, this describes workers at the Bureau of Something or Other and just means ‘civil servant’. But can also be meant in the snide way!