Public Administration Mains 2017 : Model Question and Answer - 4
Public Administration Mains 2017 : Model Question and Answer
(Public Administration Paper I / Chapter: Techniques of Administrative Improvement)
Question : "E-governance is the final arrival of Max Weber's 'iron cage of rationality '. Discuss." (15 Marks/250 words)
Model Answer :
The iron cage refers to the increased rationalization inherent in social life. In developed democracies, there will be an evolution of an iron cage, which will be a technically ordered, rigid, dehumanized society. Bureaucracy puts us in an iron cage, which limits individual freedom and potential. It is the way of the institution, where we do not have a choice anymore. Once capitalism came about, it was like a machine that you were being pulled into without an alternative option.
Weber gave features of bureaucracy as an instruments to achieve an indestructible and totally efficient organisation. The problem with present day bureaucracies is that they make 'instrumental values'(it was means for weber) ends in themselves ,which results in goal displacement. It is in this respect that, E-governance helps cleanse those aberrations in modern day bureaucracy making it truly rational and efficient, which in a way final arrival of the type of bureaucracy Weber conceived.
It is an apprehension of some thinkers that e-governance would act as a catalyst behind arrival of above mentioned situation due to increased automation in governance. It would be no wrong to say that e-governance would make decision making more logical and rational but it has to be highlighted that it would result in transparent and efficient resource utilisation. Equating e-governance simply with automation of governance services will not suffice. E-governance should be perceived as tool for good governance which would provide rational ground for constructive conflicts and hence will facilitate humanitarian activities and progress. (Total Words- 249)
(Linkages : E-Governance, Max Weber, Iron Cage, Rationality, Bureaucracy)