How have bureaucracies changed since the passage of the pendleton act? how have they gained more discretionary authority?

The enlightenment ideas gave the system we have of checks and balances. As well as the three different branches of government (Legislative, Judicial, and executive)

2. In the Magna Carta, they expressed that no one person should have total and complete power. In our founding documents, we limited the powers of each branch of government by creating a system in which one branch has a sure-fire way of checking a different branch. For example, any bill cannot be a law without first passing through both houses of congress and then signed by the President. Also, the Supreme Court may rule laws unconstitutional and remove them for good. The legislative branch may also impeach President's and elected officials. The final way we have used the checks and balances system is that any and all nominations to a position such as US Cabinet must go through the Senate.