Section: Social Complexity
Subsection: Bureaucracy characteristics

Full Time Bureaucrat

full-time bureaucrats refer to full-time administrative specialists. code this absent if administrative duties are performed by generalists such as chiefs and subchiefs. also code it absent if state officials perform multiple functions, e.g. combining administrative tasks with military duties. note that this variable shouldn't be coded 'present' only on the basis of the presence of specialized government buildings; there must be some additional evidence of functional specialization in government.   (See here)
Contributors:

Variable Definition
Polity The Seshat Polity ID
Year(s) The years for which we have the data. [negative = BCE]
Tag [Evidenced, Disputed, Suspected, Inferred, Unknown]
Verified A Seshat Expert has approved this piece of data.

Variable Definition
full_time_bureaucrat The absence or presence of full time bureaucrat for a polity.

# Polity Year(s) Full Time Bureaucrat Description   Edit
11
(Ak Koyunlu)
1339 CE 1397 CE
absent
None
12
(Ak Koyunlu)
1398 CE 1501 CE
present
None
13
(Portuguese Empire - Renaissance Period)
1495 CE 1501 CE
present
EMPTY_COMMENT
14
(Portuguese Empire - Renaissance Period)
1502 CE 1579 CE
present
The following quote suggests that professional bureaucrats would have existed prior to João III's accession to the throne in 1502 CE, as they are mentioned rather casually. "For regular advice on affairs of state João III relied on an inner group of his councillors made up of prominent noblemen, churchmen, professional bureaucrats and members of his own family." [Disney 2009]
15
(Russian Empire, Romanov Dynasty I)
1614 CE 1645 CE
absent
None
16
(Russian Empire, Romanov Dynasty I)
1645 CE 1682 CE
A~P
None
17
(Russian Empire, Romanov Dynasty I)
1682 CE 1775 CE
present
None
18
(Spanish Empire II)
1716 CE 1814 CE
present
None
19
(Kingdom of Hawaii - Post-Kamehameha Period)
1820 CE 1840 CE
absent
By 1838, therefore, we find the powers of the national government to be, in actual practice, divided between three agencies, the king, the kuhina-nui, and the council of chiefs. It thus appears that some part of the power of the absolute king had been transferred to the chiefs, whose status was thereby considerably improved. But up to 1839 this distribution of power had not extended beyond the chiefs. The common people were still under complete subjection to the alii and had practically no rights that the chiefs were bound to respect, except that of removing to the land of another chief. There had been no essential modification of the old feudal land system, and no formal organization of the government along lines familiar to foreigners [Kuykendall 1997, p. 153]
20
(Kingdom of Hawaii - Post-Kamehameha Period)
1840 CE 1898 CE
present
The next section of the constitution dealt with the tax officers ; they were to be appointed by the king and the kuhina-nui, and not only assessed and collected the taxes, but also served as judges in all cases arising under the tax laws and in cases between land agents and between landlords and their tenants. From their decisions an appeal might be taken to the governor and from the governor to the supreme court. The inferior or district judges on the several islands were to be appointed by the governors ; it was their business to hear and decide all cases arising under the laws except those within the jurisdiction of the tax officers ; from the decisions of these inferior judges an appeal might be taken to the supreme court. The supreme court was composed of the king, the kuhina-nui, and four other judges appointed by the lower branch of the legislature; this court had only appellate jurisdiction. [Kuykendall 1997, p. 169]
Copyright © 2024, Seshat: Global History Databank.
Stay in touch with us: