Federal Bureaucracy

More Americans work for the federal government than for any other employer. But for many on the political right, the size of the government workforce — and the scope of its mandate — is a problem that needs to be solved.

This exhibit focuses on the history of the departments and agencies that together constitute what is sometimes referred to as the fourth branch of government. How big is too big, and what do we lose when we focus on size alone? Are there lessons to be learned from past efforts to shrink the role of the federal government in Americans‘ lives?