A bureaucrat is a member of a bureaucracy, usually within an institution of the government.

The term "bureaucrat" today has largely negative connotations, so those who are the members of a governmental bureaucracy usually prefer terms such as civil servant or public servant to describe their jobs.

Bureaucrat jobs are usually "desk jobs," often of a clerical or organizational nature.

Max Weber definition of a bureaucratic official:

A bureaucratic official:

• is personally free and appointed to his position on the basis of conduct
• he exercises the authority delegated to him in accordance with impersonal rules, and his loyalty is enlisted on behalf of the faithful execution of his official duties
• his appointment and job placement are dependent upon his technical qualifications
• his administrative work is a full-time occupation
• his work is rewarded by a regular salary and prospects of advancement in a lifetime career

An official must exercise his judgment and his skills, but his duty is to place these at the service of a higher authority; ultimately he is responsible only for the impartial execution of assigned tasks and must sacrifice his personal judgment if it runs counter to his official duties.

See also: Apparatchik, Mandarin.

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