IT seems like every week or two, there is another valid reason to complain about the way the government handles its jobs.
A section of flooring collapses at the airport or the light-rail trains just stop in the middle of the track. Car-license plates are not available or when they are, tend to break too easily. Homes built for victims of disasters are substandard or the funds for relief, somehow, were held back and not made available for the intended purposes.
Is the government just unlucky or is it something more sinister?
Some are saying that the current controversy about airport personal possibly planting “evidence” to illicit bribes is just a conspiracy to discredit the administration. Although we do not accept that, we must admit that looking back a long time on the continuing history of government infectiveness, inefficiency and blatant failures from big to small, something is unquestionably wrong.
In 1944 the forerunner to the US Central Intelligence Agency, the Office of Strategic Services (OSS), created the Simple Sabotage Field Manual. The booklet provided detailed plans how to sabotage the US World War II enemies. On orders of the OSS Director William “Wild Bill” Donovan, the manual was distributed to citizens in enemy states that might have wanted to destabilize their governments.
There were five particular techniques that ordinary but unhappy people, even in low positions both in and out of government, could use to disrupt productivity and order.
For managers and supervisors, this was the advice: “To lower morale and production, be pleasant to inefficient workers; give them undeserved promotions. Discriminate against efficient workers; complain unjustly about their work.”
Normal employees could do the following: “Work slowly. Think of ways to increase the number of movements needed to do your job: use a light hammer instead of a heavy one; try to make a small wrench do instead of a big one.”
If involved in larger organizations: “When possible, refer all matters to committees, for ‘further study and consideration.’ Attempt to make the committees as large and bureaucratic as possible. Hold conferences when there is more critical work to be done.”
Although the following may not especially apply to the 21st century, the principle is exactly the same today. “At office, hotel and local telephone switchboards, delay putting calls through, give out wrong numbers, cut people off ‘accidentally,’ or forget to disconnect them so that the line cannot be used again. Prevent reliable and timely communication.”
Transportation is always vital, and if you had anything to do with that sector, here is the tip: “Make train travel as inconvenient as possible for enemy personnel. Issue two tickets for the same seat on a train in order to set up an ‘interesting’ argument.”
For those in top positions of authority: “Speak arrogantly. Make promises that cannot be kept. Divide and weaken the people under your control.”
Maybe the reason for our continuing problems is not because the government is following the Simple Sabotage Field Manual. Maybe it is just too much incompetence after all.
Image credits: Jimbo Albano