The Hidden Costs of Bureaucratic Time Taxes
In her book "The Time Tax," Annie Lowrey critiques the inefficiency of government bureaucracy, highlighting its significant impact on citizens' time. During the Great Recession, one in three properties in Detroit faced foreclosure, illustrating the dire consequences of administrative delays. In Michigan, the lengthy DHS-1171 form, which once had about a thousand questions, saw a 25% failure rate among applicants. By 2018, the form had been streamlined to 80% fewer words. Meanwhile, Louisiana disenrolled 15,689 children from public health insurance due to paperwork problems. Oliver Burkeman and Staffan Burenstam Linder also explore the implications of time management in their respective works.
Key facts
- Annie Lowrey's book 'The Time Tax' critiques government bureaucracy's disregard for citizens' time.
- During the Great Recession, Detroit saw one in three properties foreclose.
- The DHS-1171 form in Michigan had about a thousand questions, including weight and hair color.
- A quarter of applicants failed to complete the DHS-1171 form.
- In 2018, Louisiana disenrolled 15,689 children from public health insurance due to paperwork issues.
- By 2018, the DHS-1171 form had 80 percent fewer words.
- Staffan Burenstam Linder's 1970 book 'The Harried Leisure Class' proposed that convenience increases the opportunity cost of time.
- Oliver Burkeman's 'Four Thousand Weeks' suggests accepting finitude and choosing what not to do.
Entities
Artists
- Annie Lowrey
- Oliver Burkeman
- Staffan Burenstam Linder
Institutions
- State of Michigan
- State of Louisiana
- Polymarket
Locations
- Detroit
- United States
- Louisiana
- Michigan