The Age Of Capitalism And Bureaucracy

The historian Wolfgang Mommsen was one of the foremost experts on Max Weber as well as an insightful and accessible interpreter of his work. Mommsen’s classic book, first published in 1974 under the title The Age of Bureaucracy, not only concisely explains the basic concepts underlying Weber’s worldview, but also explores the historical, social, and intellectual contexts in which he operated, including Weber’s development as an academic, his relationship to German nationalism, and his engagement with Marxism. Supplemented with a new foreword, a bibliography that includes recent studies, and a postscript by Volker Berghahn that surveys the most important debates on Weber's work since his death, this short volume serves as an excellent resource for scholars and students alike.

Originally published by Yale University Press in 1944, 'Bureaucracy' is a classic fundamental examination of the nature of bureaucracies and free markets in juxtaposition to various political systems. 'Bureaucracy' contrasts the two forms of economic management -- that of a free market economy and that of a bureaucracy. In the market economy entrepreneurs are driven to serve consumers by their desire to earn profits and to avoid losses. In a bureaucracy, the managers must comply with orders issued by the legislative body under which they operate; they may not spend without authorisation and they may not deviate from the path prescribed by law. Writing in an age of exuberant socialism, Ludwig von Mises here lucidly demonstrates how the efficiencies of private ownership and control of public good production ultimately trump the guesswork of publicly administered 'planning' through codes and 'officialdom'. Although Mises aptly critiques bureaucracy and expounds thoroughly upon the immense power of law-like codes of commissions and administrations, he does not condemn nor dismiss bureaucracy but rather frames its proper bounds within constitutional democratic governments.

From the author of the international bestseller Debt: The First 5,000 Years comes a revelatory account of the way bureaucracy rules our lives Where does the desire for endless rules, regulations, and bureaucracy come from? How did we come to spend so much of our time filling out forms? And is it really a cipher for state violence? To answer these questions, the anthropologist David Graeber—one of our most important and provocative thinkers—traces the peculiar and unexpected ways we relate to bureaucracy today, and reveals how it shapes our lives in ways we may not even notice…though he also suggests that there may be something perversely appealing—even romantic—about bureaucracy. Leaping from the ascendance of right-wing economics to the hidden meanings behind Sherlock Holmes and Batman, The Utopia of Rules is at once a powerful work of social theory in the tradition of Foucault and Marx, and an entertaining reckoning with popular culture that calls to mind Slavoj Zizek at his most accessible. An essential book for our times, The Utopia of Rules is sure to start a million conversations about the institutions that rule over us—and the better, freer world we should, perhaps, begin to imagine for ourselves.

The study of bureaucracy must include certain key questions: what are bureaucrats and bureaucracies; why do they exist and what are their functions; how do they behave; how much power do they possess; what is their impact on efficiency and production; and how do they affect society? This book contains analyses of all these issues, done by a variety of economists of differing backgrounds, approaches and opinions, broadly categorized under the labels Neoclassical, Institutionalist, and Marxist, although there are overlaps and correspondences that cross ideological and/or paradigmal boundaries. In this book the labels are employed as a guide to the reader with a preference for one approach over the others, and as an indication of how chapters in different sections are related in their approaches.

In this classic work, Max Weber, one of the founders of modern social science and the man characterized by Karl Jaspers as the philosopher of his age, presents one of the most influential theories of urban life and development. For the modern reader, the study provides a perspective that brings greater understanding and dimension to today's urban problems--housing, transportation, overcrowding, and social disorganization. Weber saw the city as a balanced, self-restoring system of institutions that has played a basic role in the development of Western civlization. He discussses the origins of cities, and proceeds to show how and why this new way of urban life was fully developed. Here is a work enlightened by keen insight and intellectual vigor--from back cover

"The notion of 'class interest' is a familiar one in sociological literature, as a set of social objectives. What is its relationship, however, to 'class capacity' -- the ability to realize these objectives? The complex tension between these two poles of definition of any given social class is one of the guiding themes of Erik Olin Wright's book. It is composed of three lucid and bracing essays, focused on a trio of the most unresolved and contentious problems of Marxist theory."--Jacket.

Bureaucracy is an age-old form of government that has survived since ancient times; it has provided order and persisted with durability, dependability, and stability. The popularity of the first edition of this book, entitled Handbook of Bureaucracy, is testimony to the endurance of bureaucratic institutions. Reflecting the accelerated globalizatio

Bureaucracy is an age-old form of government that has survived since ancient times; it has provided order and persisted with durability, dependability, and stability. The popularity of the first edition of this book, entitled Handbook of Bureaucracy, is testimony to the endurance of bureaucratic institutions. Reflecting the accelerated globalization of corporate capitalism, cultures, and governance systems and the additional complexity in the tasks of public administrators, Bureaucracy and Administration presents a comprehensive, global perspective that highlights the dramatic changes of the last 15 years in governance, business, and public administration. Reflects Dramatic Changes in Governance, Business, and Public Administration Through articles contributed by international experts, this volume provides a thorough analysis of bureaucracies worldwide and their effect on politics, economics, and society. The book begins by exploring the historical antecedents of bureaucracy, looking at some of the great ancient civilizations and their administrative traditions, achievements, and contributions to modern administration and governance systems. In the next section, leading scholars from political science, sociology, governance, and public administration present a detailed review of theoretical and conceptual perspectives on bureaucracies and bureaucratic politics. Following an examination of bureaucracy and public management and presenting topics such as the response to Hurricane Katrina, training of bureaucrats, and ethical issues, contributors review bureaucratic politics in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. The book concludes with a focused analysis of bureaucracy, change, reform, and revolution, highlighting implications for future governance and administration. Comprising theoretical and empirical analyses and including perspectives which span from ancient to modern times, this volume comprehensively and authoritatively advances the knowledge of the nature, role, and function of bureaucracy as the core of sound governance and administration around the world.