Max Weber and Bureaucracy

Examining the context of research papers on Max Weber and bureaucracy, it seems reasonable to argue that over the course of time, bureaucracy becomes so corrupted that it minimizes and disenfranchises all members of society, especially those that it seeks to offer social equality, i.e. ethnic and racial minorities. Although Weber does not address this issue directly in his essay he does examine two key areas that are of central importance to proving this thesis.

1. First, Weber considers the purpose of bureaucracy as a means to create social equality.
2. Second, Weber considers the development of bureaucracy and how this development will eventually serve to create a corruptible organization that will eventually serve its own ends, rather than the needs of the people.

Looking first at the "leveling of social differences" Weber notes that "Bureaucratic organization has usually come into power on the basis of leveling economics and social differences. This leveling has been at least relative, and has concerned the significance of social and economic differences for the assumption of administrative function". What this effectively suggests is the Weber viewed the primary function of bureaucracy as a means to create social equity through the process of fair and equitable treatment. Bureaucracy was able to conceptualize the differences between economic classes and seek to minimize or at least stabilize these differences for the benefit of social discourse.