My palm pilot dictionary has the following for two, of several, 
definitions of the word arbitrary:

marked by or resulting from the unrestrained and often tyrannical 
exercise of power <protection from ~ arrest and detention> 
based on or determined by individual preference or convenience rather 
than by necessity or the intrinsic nature of something

This demonstrates what I love about language. Contained in each 
definition is the connotation of the other. 

In a class today we discussed records management and archiving. I was 
fascinated by what I saw as the arbitrary nature (second definition 
above) of the rules used to declare something as record-worthy or 
distinguish a record from a document because the arbiter of the rules 
can gain or maintain enormous power through the rules. See the first 
definition.

I do not dispute the need for records and archives, but goodness we 
must maintain awareness of how and why the rules are created. Who do 
they benefit? Who, if anyone, is constrained by the rules?

Every structure provides someone a benefit and someone a constraint. 
We want benefits for some people and we want, perhaps unfortunately, 
constraints for some. Are those other people? The same people? Who 
decides? Who controls? Who cares?