Weberian Bureaucracy

dynamics of power rel in society
ques
- who are in positions of power i.e. rulers
- who are part of ruled community i.e. followers
- why do followers accept authority
- for how long can rulers exercise power
$∴$ 3 legitimate authority
- traditional
- charismatic
- legal
early 20th century => germany pol instability
- but IR => development
- capitalism
  - success depends on stability + continuity of admin process
german admin process = spoils system
- i.e. admin appt to power on basis of proximity to pol exec
- no qualifications, merit, efficiency
- held positions till confidence of leaders
no rule of law => nepotism, favoritism, corruption, misuse/abuse of authority
MW observed this & came w/ soln in Bureaucratic Theory of Organization
- never defined the term Bureaucracy
- Bureau + Cracy
- Cracy = sys of rule or governance
- Bureau = desk/office
- system of gov carried out strictly acc to estd laws, R&R
MW: legal authority exercised by B

Features of Weberian Bureaucracy

B are only instruments in hands of pol exec
should not have values, must only work as per R&R
not concern abt outcome
- pol exec takes resp for outcome
neutral needed, cuz values are subjective
Individual value systems bring in nepo, favoritism, prejudices, biases, corruption
if conflict b/w both, give imptance to organizational rationality

parl democracy -> B permanent, while pol exec temp
B serve diff pol masters in long careers
absence of pol neutrality => politicization of CS
- 1970 -> PM called for committed B
- caused lack of pol neutrality in india
pol neutrality of CS ensured thru non partisanship, whereas value neutrality thru impartiality

defines phy struct of org
explains rel b/w superior & subordinate within org
superior has pwr to give order
- subordinate resp to implement
Hierarchy necessary to ensure discipline, coordination to resolve conflicts and for overall efficiency of an org
no org can survive w/o hierarchy

MW: B can function efficiently only when they completely isolated from pol, social, cultural systems
factors should not influence impartial functioning of B
strongly favored highly secretive nature of functioning of B to insulate & isolate from soc
excessive secrecy can ultimately result in more scope for corruption & misuse of power
- good gov demands there be complete transparency in functioning

MW: emphasized on discipline to ensure overall efficiency of an org
necessary to prevent anti org behaviour, eliminate scope for conflicts within org, ensure overall efficiency
D ensured thru Code of Conduct thru R&R
- eg. AICS Conduct R&R 1964
but excessive D counter productive
- takes away freedom, independence, initiative of ppl at lower levels
- strictly forced to implement orders by superiors
- contributions towards org activity can come down drastically
- makes org inefficient
What to be done?
- conduct R&R should focus more on preventing -ve behaviour but also more freedom and independence should be given to personnel at lowest level
- since lowers low conditions better, should get freedom to take decisions
- superiors interfere only if anti org behaviour eg corruption, misuse of power, nepe
- R&R be simplified to give more freedom to personnel at lower level