Typology of Modern-rational Bureaucracy

Abstract

I will develop a typology of modern-rational bureaucracy by means of reconstruction of the theory of bureaucracy presented by Max Weber. Varieties of bureaucracy are emphasized in order to break down the uniformity of bureaucracy-image. We give following nine propositions. (1) Modern bureaucracy is defined by the combination of legal domination and monocracy. (2) Legal domination contains a positive-law oriented/discipline oriented contrast about the mode of legitimacy. (3) Monocracy contains a sovereign/discret contrast about the way of decision-making., (4) We cross these two axes of legal domination and monocracy, and get four types of modern-rational bureaucracy. (5) We name “positive-law oriented sovereign” type office-bureaucracy (Continental type). (6) discipline oriented +discret type→profession-bureaucracy (Anglo-Saxon type). (7) discipline oriented+sovereign type→calling-bureaucracy (Fuehrer-Democracy). (8) positive-law oriented+discret type→competence-bureaucracy (Japanese type). (9) The typical type of bureaucracy is not office-bureaucracy, but profession-bureaucracy, because we can fit better the image of bureaucracy for the M. Weber's theory of socialist economic system and highly differentiated modernity. Critical assessments against the socialist type of bureaucracy in Soviet Union and East-central Euprope during the revolutionary age of 1980 s confirm this conclusion.