Administrative agencies have existed since the birth of the nation. The Departments of War, Foreign Affairs, Treasury, Post Office, and Patents were established by the first Congress. These agencies provided needed services, such as mail delivery and protection from foreign enemies. Their “regulation” of Americans was minimal. Later, in 1887, Congress created the Interstate Commerce Commission, the first federal agency with authority to regulate people and business operations directly.

The boom era for federal administrative agencies was during the Great Depression and World War II. President Franklin D. Roosevelt initiated the creation of many new agencies as part of his New Deal efforts to revive the economy and to correct other social problems. The authority and number of administrative agencies continued to expand in the following decades, particularly during the 1970s.

Several factors have contributed to the growth in government, and, specifically, the growth in the administrative state. We depend on others for our food, health care, technology, and other needs. This change, along with our increasing population, is driving people together, but often in impersonal ways.

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