Weber social outlook of iron cage is similar to Karl Marx social theory of Alienation. Karl Marx argued that structure of capitalist societies is organized in a fashion which push away individuals from one another and their social life. Weber social theory of iron cage infer same thing that, individuals within modern societies feel imprisoned in a cage of formal rules. The concept of “iron cage” is based on thorough observation of modern social structure. Weber observed the prosperity that resulted through logical or rational decision making compare to the dictates of traditional religious authorities. But rationalization also introduced highly bureaucratic social structure. Bureaucratic social structure is based on the characteristics such as, written rules or formal norms, hierarchical order, division of labor strictly based on specialization and impersonality. Weber believed that Bureaucratic structure was necessary for industrial societies in order to accomplish its objective (maximize economic gain or profit maximization).

However, people was still trapped in the cage of bureaucracy after getting freedom from outdated and rigid traditional norm. Bureaucratic structure had dehumanizing effect on individual’s lives because the primary goal of rationalized structure is to get things done efficiently, people personal desires do not matter, they are treated just as means to an end.  Specialized division of labor increase the degree of interdependence among individuals due to which people think that their worth is determined by others within society instead of their own skills. Acquiring better job become more important than self-improvement, higher status has greater value than productivity. Weber says that disenchantment is the cost modern society has to pay for maximizing profit through rationalized structure because Individuals’ lives become more mechanical rather than social.

Written by; Khushdil Khan Kasi

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