"Chin" described the 14 bureaucratic ranks that defined czarist Russian society, government, army and church; Soviet society, too, had its own sense of decorum and ranks, threatened now that the bureaucracy has lost its place to gangsters, "speculators" and young entrepreneurs.

The expertise of the bureaucratic ranks, coupled with the relative weakness of Japanese politicians, all but ensures that the bureaucrats will continue to dominate policy-making.

In bureaucratic rank alone, Mr. Cambone stands a full notch higher than any predecessor, as under secretary of defense for intelligence, a post created by Congress only last year.

He rose subsequently through the bureaucratic ranks at Horse Guards (the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army) and the War Office in Whitehall.

In the interview, Mr. Perez Cott told how he rose through the bureaucratic ranks in Cuba to be rewarded with a big house, a car and the privilege of shopping for groceries and luxury goods in stores that are off-limits to most Cubans.

As an expert in budgeting, economics, regulation and the other fine details of environmental policy, Mr. Alm operated just under the bureaucratic rank where public service translates into renown.

He rose through the bureaucratic ranks, eventually becoming a department head, before retiring in 1984 to become a director at Sumitomo Cement.

Finally, the nature of Yongying command structure fostered nepotism and cronyism amongst its commanders whom as they ascended the bureaucratic ranks laid the seeds to Qing's eventual demise and the outbreak of regional warlordism in China during the first half of the 20th century.

As soon as the participants knocked it off with the bureaucratic ranks and turf-fighting, everything changed.

Though Skolnik, lanky and balding, held a higher bureaucratic rank, Bennett's manner was peremptory.