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Weber and public governance

In: The Crisis of Governance

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Abstract

Governance as it has been known is based on ideas from Max Weber. First, Weber aimed for rationality, for rationalization, for logical inference drawn from facts, science and scientific thinking. Secondly, administration needed to be based on impersonality, as bureaucracy should be an impersonal system based on laws and ordered rules, on process and procedure and not on personal favoritism of any kind. Authoritarianism, cults of personality, autocracy are not new, nor can they deliver something better. They are rather reverting to the pre-modern forms that existed before Weber, to the kind of authority relations that he argued against and declared to be obsolete in the modern age. To Weber, traditional and charismatic authority are pre-modern and irrational, compared to rational-legal authority. Rationality has its limitations, but does not excuse making policy without any facts or logic, governing through lies and obfuscation, allowing personal administration and even authoritarianism back in.

Suggested Citation

  • ., 2023. "Weber and public governance," Chapters, in: The Crisis of Governance, chapter 3, pages 40-58, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    • Handle: RePEc:elg:eechap:19578_3
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    Cited by:

    1. Heilmann, Felix & Steitz, Janek & Müller, Simon & Sigl-Glöckner, Philippa, 2023. "LNG, climate and energy security: Towards a comprehensive approach for Europe," Papers 277914, Dezernat Zukunft - Institute for Macrofinance, Berlin.

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