Bureaucracy… my every-day monster

I know it sounds odd, almost schizophrenic, but when I was a child I used to admire ordinary clerks, old desk officers, low-level state officials. I used to follow my father in their dirty old offices, in grey buildings full of cracks and poor furnishing. This unfriendly, sad atmosphere would almost hypnotise me. Then I would stare at them, the masters of the legendary Greek bureaucracy. Their sleeves marked with blue ink, the selves behind their desk full of old folders and codes of practice, their ashtrays full of cigarettes, their outfits perfect match with the chaotic environment surrounding them. Their unique ability to fill out endless forms and keep a written record of all their actions in perfect handwriting fascinated me. Their grim, hard and occasionally melancholic face made me think they had some unique wisdom and undisputed authority over how society and businesses operate.

Over the years as I became more aware of laws and processes the myth of the powerful, wise clerk faded way. In my technocratic perception of life bureaucracy became a useless hurdle designed to enslave modern people in a crumbling, conservative, capitalistic and therefore unfair society. Bureaucracy and the associated inefficiency and corruption in the public sector spill over into the private sector creating a “beast” that threatens to “devour” the ordinary man. An overcomplicated legal system with conflicting laws keeps the old bureaucratic system alive and strong as ever.

Nowadays most of the government buildings have been refurbished; the old typewriters have been replaced by fancy computers however bureaucracy remains an unsolved problem. The clerks still fill out endless forms with their dirty, sticky keyboards and cheap pens and demand the same from us. The time and financial cost of dealing with this “sociological monster” has become unbearable. The legal framework on which the system is based becomes more and more complicated and difficult to follow. Options and chances of appeal for unjust decisions have become scarce and financially catastrophic. Governments create new services and departments for even the tiniest and simplest of jobs. This unnecessary sharing of authority and responsibility has only made things worse. Your applications, details and forms are referred from one department to the other and precious time is lost.

The most distressing thing is that the amount of paperwork as you try to do something innovative and progress yourself grows exponentially, especially if you request state support and funding. The whole system forces you to put aside your dreams of becoming an entrepreneur, a productive member of the society. How can a man say he has full human rights if he is denied the right of being his own boss?


PS

I know that some of the expressions I use are directly translated from Greek but I categorically refuse to apologise for that!