Bureaucratization as Class Domination: Weber vs. Critical Theory

• In Event: 586 - Regular Session. Social Theory

Abstract

This will be an appraisal of Weber's theory of bureaucracy from a critical theory point of view. As Robert Merton said, "Weber is almost exclusively concerned with what the bureaucratic structure attains: precision, reliability, efficiency. This same structure may be examined from another perspective . . . What are the limitations of the organization designed to attain these goals?" I will concentrate on business bureaucracies, taking account, not only capitalist business as it was in Weber's time, but also business today. This will include the recent rise in income inequality, the way inequality leads to recessions, and the recent 2007 recession with the weak job recovery. The latter suggests that job automation is also an increasing problem for capitalism.

Author

• Norbert F. Wiley, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign