One little bureaucrat, with nothing much to do,
Asked for an assistant, then there were two.
Two little bureaucrats kept the job alive,
Three more were appointed, then there were five.
Five little bureaucrats, driving at a pen,
They made them a Department, then there were ten.
Ten little bureaucrats, you'd think that was plenty,
But, being a Department, soon there were twenty.
Twenty little bureaucrats, but the Minister grew haughty,
His Department wasn't big enough, so there were forty.
Forty little bureaucrats for reasons full and weighty,
The Minister, who needed votes, increased them up to eighty.
And so the game goes on: it's really rather fun
Making a hundred joblets grow, where formerly was one.
— Anonymous
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