The Middle Ages and the Rise of Bureaucratic Red Tape
It all started in the 12th century, when the first recorded instance of bureaucratic red tape was used to slow down the delivery of a particularly slow-moving donkey.
Monks in monasteries spent countless hours copying and re-copying documents, creating an endless cycle of paperwork that would put even the most patient of souls to sleep.
Fast forward to the 16th century, and the rise of the 'Form 27-B' – a behemoth of a document that required at least 17 pages of unnecessary information just to request a permit for a minor repair.
By the 19th century, the red tape had become so thick and impenetrable that it was said that even the most well-intentioned of kings would get lost in its depths.
And so, the cycle continued, with each generation building upon the previous one, until the modern era, where the red tape has become an art form in and of itself.
But fear not, dear reader, for in the next step, we shall explore the modern era of bureaucratic red tape, where the art of procrastination is taken to new heights.