First published in 1977, Red Tape remains a definitive account of modern life’s greatest, but absolutely necessary, scourge. Kaufman takes us on an unblinking tour of the dismal landscape of red tape: it’s messy, it takes too long, it is out of date, it makes insane demands, it increases costs, it slows progress.

But he also shows us another side. Red tape is how government protects us from tainted food, shoddy products, and unfair labor practices. It guarantees a social safety net for the elderly, the disabled, and victims of natural disasters. One person’s red tape is another person’s protection.