Parkinson's Law

To the very young, to school-teachers, as also to those who compile textbooks about constitutional history, politics, and current affairs the world is a more or less rational place. They visualize the election of representatives, freely chosen from among those the people trust. They picture the process by which the wisest and best of these become ministers of state. They imagine how captains of industry, freely elected by shareholders, choose for managerial responsibility those who have proved their ability in a humbler role. Books exist in which assumptions such as these are boldly stated or tacidy implied. To those, on the other hand, with any experience of affairs, these assumptions are merely ludicrous. Solemn conclaves of the wise and good are mere figments of the teacher's mind. It is salutary, therefore, if an occasional warning is uttered on this subject. Heaven forbid that students should cease to read books on the science of public or business administration - provided only that these works are classified as fiction. Placed between the novels of Rider Haggard and H. G. Wells, intermingled with volumes about ape men and space ships, these textbooks could harm no one. Placed elsewhere, among works of reference, they can do more damage than might at first sight seem possible.

Contents
PREFACE 9
PARKINSON'S LAW
or the Rising Pyramid и
THE SHORT LIST
or Principles of Selection 21
DIRECTORS AND COUNCILS
or Coefficient of Inefficiency 34
THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE
or Annual General Meeting 45
PERSONALITY SCREEN
or the Cocktail Formula S3
HIGH FINANCE
or the Point of Vanishing Interest 60
PALM THATCH TO PACKARD
or a Formula for Success 68
PLANS AND PLANTS
or the Administration Block 76
INJELITITIS
or Palsied Paralysis 86
PENSION POINT
or the Age of Retirement 98