Why is bureaucracy's relationship to democracy so conflicted Essay - 1

Why is bureaucracy's relationship to democracy so conflicted - Essay Example There are several laws that are infringed upon by bureaucratic procedures that may be considered high-handed. Both democracy and bureaucracy present unethical properties in the political arrangement. Bureaucracy’s relationship to democracy is so conflicted because of the paradoxical relationship that involves satisfying both the emotional and societal interests. Structural modification has a considerable impact on human interaction and individuality. This is emphasized by George Ritzer, a renowned sociologist who explores the concept of McDonaldization in terms of the cultural context and rational thinking. In his book â€Å"The McDonaldization of society† Ritzer explores how the philosophies of fast-food restaurants define the American culture. In his opinion, McDonalds has a particular pattern of entry into any region that often results in an integrated consumer pattern and the westernization of the culture that is invaded (Ritzer, 1993, 9). The society does not change in a bureaucratic manner as previously suggested by another renowned social theorist, Max Webber. Instead, his theory mostly emphasizes on the repetitive nature of actions by both consumers and McDonald’s workforce. For instance, in terms of service, one is likely to receive the same service in any branch, and the employees are likely to use the same recipe an d perform the same tasks in the preparation of food. In essence, this means that rational systems may create an awkward environment based on bureaucracy. This means that democracy is significantly undermined because of the repetitiveness in actions. There are no alternatives presented to guarantee a bureaucratic environment. According to Ritzer, traditional means of thinking are undermined by the societal concerns promoted by bureaucracy based on social control and productivity. The bureaucracy associated with most decision-making processes mean that there will always be interests that are not satisfied and changes in ideology