CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION..................................................................................1
WEBERS CLASSICAL THEORY OF BUREAUCRACY...........................2
LEGITIMATE DOMINATION: THE FOUNDATION OF BUREAUCRACY2
FEATURES OF WEBERS IDEAL TYPE BUREAUCRACY......................4
1. Hierarchical Authority.................................................................4
2. Rule of Rules................................................................................4
3. Division of Labor..........................................................................5
4. Achievement-Based Advancement...............................................5
5. Efficient Operation......................................................................5
6. Impersonal Environment.............................................................5
POWER................................................................................................ 6
ADVANTAGES OF BUREAUCRACY.......................................................7
DISADVANTAGES OF BUREAUCRACY.................................................7
CONCLUSION...................................................................................... 8
BIBLIOGRAPHY...................................................................................9

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INTRODUCTION

Bureaucracy is the administrative structure and set of regulations in place

to control (rationalize, render effective and professionalize) activities,
usually in large organizations and government. Its efficiency is a function of
the environment in which it operates.

Historically, Max Weber is the most important exponent of bureaucracy. He

described it as technically superior to all other forms of organization and
hence indispensable to large, complex enterprises.2

The word "bureaucracy" stems from the word "bureau", used from the early
18th century in Western Europe to refer to an office, i.e., a workplace,
where officials worked. The original French meaning of the word bureau
was the baize used to cover desks. The term bureaucracy came into use
shortly before the French Revolution of 1789, and from there rapidly
spread to other countries. The Greek suffix - kratia or kratos - means
"power" or "rule. Ideally, bureaucracy is characterized by hierarchical
authority relations, defined spheres of competence subject to impersonal
rules, recruitment by competence, and fixed salaries.

Actually,

bureaucracy

becomes

progressively

omnipresent

and

omnipotent in the management of all the governmental activities both the

implementation and, surprisingly, formulation of public policy- a situation
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which strengthens the bureaucracy and widens its sphere of operation.

This observation fully expresses the position that bureaucracy is a form of
government, exercised by officials, characterised by tendency to intervene
and often to exceed its proper function.

In a situation where bureaucracy is involved in every stage of policy

process, there is indeed tendency to behave extra-constitutionally and act
beyond ethical framework that guards and guides its official conduct.

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WEBERS CLASSICAL THEORY OF BUREAUCRACY

The classical theory of bureaucracy, derived from Webers work, assumes

the structure of a bureaucracy is essentially organized in a rational and
efficient manner, and that it is especially designed for the carrying out of
particular ends with given means that can be specified and known. Though
the ends may differ over time and the availability of means may change,
organization should be sufficiently flexible to take these into account.

Weber saw bureaucracy as facilitating the institutionalization of technical

rationality

by

the

co-ordination

of

large-scale

public

and

private

organizations through the specialization of tasks, deployment of expertise,

and a hierarchy of authority.

Weber identified the need for bureaucracy arising out of the division of
labor and increasing specialization that separated the roles of individual
producers, being the basis for the huge increase in social productivity which
many modern achievements

are based upon.

Weber argued that

bureaucracy was the organizational principle of modern life, and was just
one way of organizing modern life, not the only way, whilst recognizing the
further advance of bureaucratic mechanization was inevitable in modern
society

Significantly, Weber also believed this applied to socialist and capitalist

societies alike, incorporating the enterprises within them; political, religious
and military which in turn were increasingly bureaucratic. To understand
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how the classical theory of bureaucracy sits within his general thoughts, it
is

necessary

to

consider

Webers

theory

of

legitimate

domination.

Phenomena of specialization of occupational function is central to Webers

sociology of modern capitalism, being by no means limited to the economic
sphere.

LEGITIMATE DOMINATION: THE FOUNDATION OF

BUREAUCRACY

Weber formed a distinction between traditional, charismatic and legalrational types of legitimate domination to explain why people believe they
are obliged to obey the law.

Traditional legal domination is where

legitimacy is claimed on the basis of belief in the sanctity of age-old rules

and powers.

Charismatic legal domination is based on devotion to the

exceptional sanctity, heroism or exemplary character of an individual

person, whilst legal-rational domination is founded on a belief in the
legality of enacted rules and the right of those elevated to authority under
such rules to issue commands. Within the legal rational type, which best
describes modern society, the commonest form of its expression is found in
bureaucracy.

Though the notion of legal-rational authority is bound up with Webers

theory of value, which argues that the sociologist must adopt a detached
view of his subject, the important correlation is between this form of
domination and the modern bureaucratic State.

Weber points out that

under other forms of domination, authority resides with people, whilst

under bureaucracy it is vested in rules.

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Weber saw the hallmark of legal-rational authority as its so-called

impartiality, though this depends on what Weber calls the principle of
formalistic impersonality which requires that officials discharge their
responsibilities without hatred or passion, and hence without affection or
enthusiasm. The dominant norms are thus concepts of straightforward duty
without regard to personal considerations

Weber argues that whilst the legitimacy of the traditional and charismatic
forms of legal domination depends on specific relationships between ruler
and subject, the source of legitimacy of legal-rational domination is
impersonal. Obedience therefore becomes owed to the legal order, rather
than to an individual or social group. This might be set out as follows

DOMINATION

Traditional

Charismatic

Legal-rational

LEGITIMATIO

Traditional

Charismatic

Legal-rational

Formal irrationality

Formal

Logical formal

irrationality

rationality

LEGAL

Substantive

THOUGHT

irrationality

Substantive
irrationality

JUSTICE

Secular or theocratic Charismatic

Rational

empirical

JUDICIAL
PROCESS

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Empirical

and/or

substantive

and/or

personal (Khadi justice)

Rational

Owed to legal

OBEDIENCE

order
Bureaucratic
professional

ADMINISTRA
TION

Weber makes a variety of claims in support of his theory of legitimate

domination.
existence

of

Webers political domination draws its legitimacy from the

a

system

of

rationally

made

laws

that

stipulate

the

circumstances under which power may be exercised. Weber sees this form
of legitimacy as the central core of all stable modern societies, with legal
rational rules determining the scope of its power and providing its
legitimacy.

FEATURES OF WEBERS IDEAL TYPE

BUREAUCRACY

For Weber, an organisation with a bureaucratic nature is an extension of the

will of the commanding power, with the legitimacy of the system resting
ultimately upon the extent to which it is accepted.

Webers notion of

bureaucracy, perhaps the most influential of his theories, is prefaced upon

his ideal type.

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In elucidating his classical model of bureaucracy, Weber identified six

specific criteria

1. Hierarchical Authority

Power in bureaucracies is vested in position, not person, and authority

travels through the levels of the hierarchy based on agreed-upon functions.

2. Rule of Rules

Bureaucracies depend upon written rules and communication. Effective

bureaucracies depend on rules based on rational examination of problems
and development of the most effective method of accomplishing objectives.
Successful bureaucracies regularly review organization charts, employee
policies, memos and methodologies -- such as lean production techniques -to refine procedures and policies and improve efficiency and consistency of
result.

3. Division of Labor

Ideally, organizational tasks are assigned in bureaucracies according to the

specialized skills of the employees and the most efficient method of
accomplishing goals. That's a lot of ideality, and in many bureaucracies,
rules and structures become rigid and employees end up defending their job
functions the way animals defend their turf. A well-designed organization
develops realistic job descriptions and evaluative practices to guide
employees and encourage collaboration rather than empire building.
4. Achievement-Based Advancement

Advancement within or between the levels of bureaucracies were based on

achievement and competency rather than influence or favor, as in
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traditional hierarchies. Meeting organizational and production goals benefit

not just the bureaucracy but also its customers, clients or those otherwise
dependent on its work. The publish or perish imperative, for example,
measures achievement only when what is published enlarges knowledge or
aids the cause.
5. Efficient Operation

Efficiency was, Weber insisted, one of the hallmarks of a bureaucracy. This

might include harnessing technology in the office or factory, but it also
applied to allocating resources and determining the most efficient way of
producing

products,

delivering

services

or

otherwise

achieving

the

organization's goals.

6. Impersonal Environment

Bureaucracies depend on job descriptions and merit-based advancement,

which is an improvement over feudal hereditary or charismatic absolutism.
The emphasis on achievement and efficiency, however, can lead to the
inability to respond to individual situations or needs and can concentrate
power in the positions at the top of the hierarchy. Vigilance against
limitations caused by red tape help keep a bureaucracy efficient, and
involving employees in decision-making, evaluation and goal-setting at each
level helps them become committed to creating a responsive organization.

Weber writes, The actual social position of the official is normally highest
where, as in old civilised countries, their is a strong demand for
administration by trained experts, and a strong and stable social
differentiation or where the costliness of the required training and status
conventions are binding upon him. Weber acknowledges that some

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institutions are only semi-bureaucratic, being aware that the ideal type
wont always be available in pure form.

Max Weber was preoccupied some issues:

1. the role of ideas in history,
2. the nature of power
3. the methodology of the social sciences.

The Protestant Ethic

As Weber says it is more about the role of religion in economic life, which
addresses only one part of the rise of capitalism. Marx argued that social
existence shapes consciousness, not vice versa. Weber's position is more
complicated: He argued that ideas play neither a wholly autonomous nor a
purely passive role in history.

Ponder the following passage and its

applicability to his argument in The Protestant Ethic:

POWER
Weber was concerned with how the nature and organization of power was
changing in modern western societies. It was becoming "rationalized," of
course, but there is more to it than that. He then looks at different kinds of
authority and at different bases of non-authoritative power.
Power or domination in the broad sense of the term is at work in most social
relationships, Weber argued. That is, in most relationships someone has the
capacity to get others to obey commands or otherwise act in certain ways
even when they (the others) may not want to.
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Broadly speaking, Weber identifies two forms of power:

1. The first kind of power refers to any situation in which a power
relationship is based on one party controlling a resource that others
need
2. The second kind of power refers to any situation in which someone
has the right to command and

ADVANTAGES OF BUREAUCRACY

1. Specialization: A bureaucratic organization provides the advantages of

specialization because every member is assigned a specialized task to
perform.
2. Structure: A structure of form is created by specifying the duties and
responsibilities and reporting relationships within a command hierarchy.
Structure sets the pace and framework for the functioning of the
organization.
3. Rationality: A measure of objectivity is ensured by prescribing in
advance the criteria far decision making in routine situations.
4. Predictability: The rules, regulations, specialization, structure and
training

import

predictability

and

thereby

ensure

stability

in

the

organization. Conformity to rules and roles in the structural framework

bring about order to cope with complexity.
5. Democracy: Emphasis on qualifications and technical competence make
the organization more democratic. Officials are guided by the prescribed

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rules, policies and practices rather than by patronage or other privileged

treatment.

DISADVANTAGES OF BUREAUCRACY

1. Rigidity: Rules and regulations in a bureaucracy are often rigid and

inflexible. Rigid compliance with rules and regulations discourages initiative
and creativity. It may also provide the cover to avoid responsibility for
failures.
2. Goal Displacement: Rules framed to achieve organizational objectives
at each level become an end to themselves. When individuals at lower levels
pursue personal objectives, the overall objectives of the organization may
be neglected.
3. Impersonality: A bureaucratic organization stresses a mechanical way
of doing things. Organizational rules and regulations are given priority over
an individuals needs and emotions.
4. Compartmentalization of Activities: Jobs ore divided into categories,
which restrict people from performing tasks that they are capable of
performing. It also encourages preservation of jobs even when they become
redundant.
5. Paperwork: Bureaucracy involves excessive paperwork as every decision
must be put into writing. All documents have to be maintained in their draft
and original forms. This leads to great wastage of time, stationery and
space.

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6. Empire Building: People in bureaucracy tend to use their positions and

resources to perpetuate self interests. Every superior tries to increase the
number of his subordinates as if this number is considered a symbol of
power and prestige.
7. Red Tape: Bureaucratic procedures involve inordinate delays and
frustration in the performance of tasks.

CONCLUSION
It has been found that in some circumstances, a less bureaucratic structure
is efficient, though Weber had made an implicit assumption that there will
be a more or less one to one correspondence between official sphere of
competence and ones actual functional competence.

This is why Weber

believed bureaucracies would always be inherently efficient.

Bureaucratic inefficiencies nevertheless have obviously come about, as was

evident in the old Soviet Bureaucracy.

As the people at the top of

organisations are by no means necessarily at the peak of power in

organisations, Weber made a distinction between official and professional of
functional power and authority, which is recognised om professional
associations.

Therefore, we have to acknowledge that a bureaucratic

organisation is not the only way of rationalising institutions in the modern

context. Probably more significantly, in considering the disparity between
Webers classical theory of bureaucracy and practice, is his over reliance on
the methodology of the ideal type, which as we have shown, has definite
shortcomings, and deserves much of the critique detailed to it.

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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

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Bell, D., 1976, The Cultural Contradictions of Capitalism, London: Heinemann.
Bendix, R., 1962, Max Weber, Garden City: Doubleday.
Berle, A., and Means, G., 1939, The Modern Corporation and Private Property, New York: Macmillan.
Blau, P., 1970, Critical Remarks on Webers Theory of Authority in Wrong, D., Max Weber, New

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Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Blau, P., and Meyer, M., 1971, Bureaucracy in Modern Society, 2nd. edn., New York: Random House.
Blau, P., and Schoenherr, R., 1971, The Structure of Organisations, New York: Basic Books.
Bittman, M., 1986, A Bourgeois Marx? Max Webers Theory of Capitalist Society: Reflections on
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Technology.
10. Castoriadis, C., 1984/85, Reflections on Rationality and Development in Thesis Eleven, No. 10/11,
Melbourne: Philip Institute.
11. Cotterrell, R., 1989, The Politics of Jurisprudence: A Critical Introduction to Legal Philosophy, London:
Butterworths.
12. Crozier, M., 1980, Actors and Systems: The Politics of Collective Action, London: University of
Chicago Press.
13. Crozier, M., 1964, The Bureaucratic Phenomenon, Chicago: University of Chicago.
14. Delbridge, A. et al. (eds), 1981, The Macquarie Dictionary, New South Wales: Macquarie University.

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