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The topic of government efficiency in both qualitative service and quantitative costs is both a timely and perennial concern, as outlined in this narrative. Two major historical reform efforts, and a recent one—the 1947 Hoover Commission, the 1982 Grace Commission, and the recent 2025 DOGE examination of current government agencies—are discussed in terms of their historical evolution and transitions from public bureaucracy to public management, and the ongoing application of emerging technology to facilitate these changes, especially in the present. The actions of past commissions examining government efficiency not only pared down some expenditures, as has recently occurred under DOGE, but created new agencies that citizens became familiar with in the second half of the twentieth century—happenstances that US citizens are currently becoming accustomed to in the present.
The discussion of present trends segues into emerging and future trends, such as the use of artificial intelligence and blockchain integration in government. This text emphasizes the importance of public feedback in the ongoing quest to create “the optimal use of resources by public institutions to deliver services effectively and economically” and “ensuring accountability and alignment with public interests.”
This brief but comprehensive guidebook explores government operations with the author’s stated goal of examining “the history, evolution, and future of government efficiency in the United States.” The author’s credentials, clear prose, detailed explanation of points covered, and the book's limited scope make this an ideal read for students, professionals, and armchair historians with limited time to explore the topic. The condensed format addresses the limited public understanding of historic efficiency initiatives in the US federal government, and the volume seems poised to address this lack of information by providing basic but salient facts about the historical effort to provide efficient and cost-effective government.