“IRON CAGE OF CAPITALISM” OF WEBER. EVIDENCES OF

RATIONALIZATION IN MODERN RUSSIAN SOCIETY

ABDUL RUHULLA, IFF 2-2

Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation

Moscow 2016

RATIONALIZATION• Rationalization (sociology) - refers to the replacement of traditions, values,

and emotions as motivators for behavior in society with rational, calculated ones;

• For example, the implementation of bureaucracies in government is a kind of rationalization, as is the construction of high-efficiency living spaces in architecture and urban planning;

• One of the reasons as to why rationalization of a culture takes place could be due to the process of Globalization.

MAX WEBER: SOCIAL EVOLUTION• Webber's main concerns:

Rationalization Secularization ( transformation of a society from close identification with religious

values and institutions toward nonreligious values and secular institutions) Disenchantment (is the cultural rationalization and devaluation

of mysticism apparent in modern society)

• Rationalization of SocietyTransition from traditional to rational Pre-industrial societies: TraditionalModern society: Rational

IRON CAGE OF CAPITALISM• Features of rationalization:

Increasing knowledge; Growing impersonality; Enhanced control of social and material life.

• Weber was ambivalent towards rationalization: Advantage: freeing humans from traditional,

restrictive and illogical social guidelines; Disadvantage: dehumanizing individuals as "cogs

in the machine" and curtailing their freedom, trapping them in the bureaucratic cage of rationality and bureaucracy.

• He called it as “iron cage of Capitalism”, from which humanity would find it difficult to escape.

It’s a trap!

EVIDENCES OF RATIONALIZATION IN MODERN RUSSIAN SOCIETYRationalization in different spheres of modern society:

• Rational behavior in the economic sphere (more capitalized nation, rational money turnover)

• Education (rational approach to the design and implementation of methodical system of education)

• Rational law and governance (bureaucracy)• Less impact of religion and traditions• Change in family values ( based not on traditions, but social and

economic conditions, children upbringing, etc.)4 types of social actions:• Emotional actions • Traditional actions • Value-rational actions are motivated by commitment to a particular

value, such as loyalty or patriotism. • Instrumental-rational actions are based on a strategic, cost-benefit

analysis.

MARRIAGES IN RUSSIA

MARRIAGES IN RUSSIAShift from value-rational to instrumentally-rational social actions in numbers:

1880 – about 400 000 marriages 920 divorces 1890 – about 450 000 marriages 942 divorces 1950 – 1 222 971; 49 378 1970 – 1 319 227; 396 589 1980 – 1 464 579; 580 720 2000 – 897 327; 627 703 ( 85% of divorces) 2010 – 1 215 066; 639 321 (55% divorces) 2014 – 1 225 985; 693 730 ( 57%)

Family life data stains distributed as follows: to 1 year - 3.6%, from 1 to 2 years - 16%, from 3 to 4 years - 18%, from 5 to 9 - 28%, 10 to 19 years - 22% of 20 years or more - 12.4%.

http://www.gks.ru/wps/wcm/connect/rosstat_main/rosstat/ru/statistics/population/demography/#

AGE OF MARRIAGE IN RUSSIA

Years Number of marriages

Age of groom Age of bride

less 18 18-24 25-34 35 and more

less 18 18-24 25-34 35 and more

1960 1499581 226 798207 468734 232012 5015 949816 320916 2232081970 1319227 2464 809466 328416 178797 19227 933308 201485 1650411980 1464579 5115 902610 369768 187027 32591 1000767 272157 1589441990 1319928 13536 692941 389739 223628 72073 779437 273108 1952272000 897327 3703 403851 303216 186133 29889 511446 212528 1431932010 1215066 1131 372782 564776 276219 11698 554772 451318 1971622011 1316011 1097 380457 633360 301045 11425 574707 514339 2155052012 1213598 952 327000 594126 291469 10569 496335 492239 2144272013 1225501 931 300195 619534 304826 9695 465626 521289 228879

20141) 1225985 835 273994 632025 319131 9180 436993 534702 245110

Love 40%Common interests 26%Loneliness 14% Bowels of mercy 8%Waiting for baby 7%

3. FAMILY FEUD ( СТО К ОДНОМУ)

Main reasons of marriage in Russia?

Financial security 2%

Different characters and attitudes 39%Alcohol or drugs 24%Adultery(marital infidelity) 21% Marriage of convenience 7%Poverty 4%

3. FAMILY FEUD ( СТО К ОДНОМУ)

Main reasons of divorce in Russia?

Health Problems 3%

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