Max Weber (Sumblog 13)

I thought that the bureaucratization and rationalization of modern society that Weber talked about was very interesting. He talked a lot about what he thought society was like in his eyes. He brought up an interesting concept of the ideal types. Weber says "In its conceptual purity this mental construct....cannot be found empirically anywhere in reality." This is a really deep quote from Weber that is hard to grasp. In his talks about the ideal types he gives clear example such as race and democracy. He also talks about power and authority individually. Weber said that power is the likelihood that demands are obeyed. Authority is legitimate domination. Usually when you think of power and authority you think that they are one in the same but Weber points out that they are not. There are three main forms of power and authority. The first is rational, meaning the law. The second is traditional which is like family or marriage. The third is charismatic which is like Hitler, Bill Clinton or Ghandi. All three of these forms fall under a different method of power and authority.
Next Weber talked about bureaucracy and rationalization. Some example of bureaucracy are work and school. Rationalization is now where Weber's idea of the "Iron Cage" comes in. He said it is like a juggernaut where it just gets bigger and bigger, stronger and stronger, harder to get rid of. This is an interesting concept that I think is one of Weber's most well know ideas.

Here is a great video talking about the idea of Weber's "Iron Cage".