tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082470.post2399512048142426609..comments2024-03-28T22:51:28.222+05:30Comments on The Middle Stage: On Paul Ginsborg's Democracy: Crisis and RenewalChandrahashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07483080477755487202noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9082470.post-25941530892086814102008-11-16T16:03:00.000+05:302008-11-16T16:03:00.000+05:30A very interesting essay specially given the socio...A very interesting essay specially given the sociopolitical climate these days. <BR/><BR/>Does Ginsborg converse with Max Weber in his book? Many have argued that between Marx and Weber, the latter was a <I> more </I> sophisticated theorist of the state - granted the problematic nature of such an assertion. <BR/><BR/>Weber ofcourse pioneered the study of rationalization, whose most perfected form is the ideal bureaucracy, which was unleashed upon modern Europe as feudalism gave way to capitalism. He observed that the force of rationalization will unassailably, irresistibly, and relentlessly permeate every walk of life. From his perspective, it is no surprise that in the "most perfected state" (as Marx snorted at USA) the parties have got professionalized and corporatized to the point of undermining the spirit of democracy. Weber presciently noted that:<BR/><BR/>"Ofcourse one must remember that the term "democratization" can be misleading. The <I> demos </I> itself [..] never 'governs' larger associations; rather, it is governed [...] The generally loose term 'democratization; cannot be used here, in so far as it is understood to mean the minimization of the civil servants' ruling power in favor of the greatest possible 'direct' rule of the <I> demos </I>. The most decisive thing here - indeed it is rather exclusively so - is the <I>leveling of the governed </I> in opposition to the ruling and bureaucratically articulated group, which in its turn may occupy a quite autocratic position, both in fact and in form." (Essays on Sociology, 1910/1958)<BR/><BR/>The above seems to me to be as true of India as of the USA - though more obviously visible in India. <BR/><BR/>There are no easy answers to how one might rescue democracy from the 'iron cage of rationalization'. <BR/><BR/>On an unrelated note, you remark Marx's analysis was more 'acute than his proposed solutions'. What solutions were you referring to? Marx never really sketched a solution - to my knowledge. His central claim, grounded in dialectical materialism, was that at some point in the future the contradictions within capitalism will implode and a new order will emerge. And considering that Marx was a critic of humans becoming slaves to their creations (like religious texts, etc.), it would have been ironical if he had prescribed a new text for humans to surrender their power to. That's why I was surprised to see that line .. if Ginsborg has a reference to where Marx sketches a solution, could you please pass it on to me? Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com