The history of government is the story of bureaucracy. From temples, grain stores, and cuneiform tablets to ministries, standing armies, and the IRS website, the grasp of a government has been shaped by the reach of its bureaucracy. Any change in the nature of the bureaucracy will alter the capacity of the government. This will then alter the relationship between the government and its subjects and, if the bureaucratic changes and their effects are significant enough, the form of government and the nature of society.