bureaucratic-self-production
Bureaucracies are described as viable systems that produce themselves, maintaining their existence independently of the host institution's original purpose.
1 chapter across 1 book
Designing Freedom (1974)Stafford Beer
The chapter explores the complex balance between individual liberty and societal cohesion through the lens of cybernetic principles, emphasizing that viable systems require a blend of centralized regulatory models and decentralized autonomous functions with clear recursive levels of autonomy. It critiques bureaucratic institutions as self-producing viable systems that resist meaningful change, advocating for dismantling bureaucracies and devolving power to local communities to restore freedom and viability. The chapter also highlights the limitations of engineered systems in adapting to unforeseen changes and proposes homeostasis as a model for creating ultrastable institutional systems capable of maintaining stability despite unpredictable disturbances.