Baricaua, Marilag M.

ABS 2-1
Write a discussion paper about rationality using the concepts and readings discussed in
class. (500 words)
Rationality is a way of thinking that emphasizes in calculating the most efficient means
to achieve the desired end. It is governed by reason rather than emotions and feelings. According
to Max Weber, the rationalization of society brought upon rationality as the dominant mode of
human thought in modern societies. As a result, industrial societies were secularized and highly
valued scientific understanding and technology.
Capitalism became the economic system of modern societies, wherein the capitalists
introduced the factory system that made products cheaper, faster, and in large volumes. Weber
asserts that capitalism is the essence of rationality because capitalists will logically find ways to
earn profits. For capitalists, the rational way to increase profit was labor productivity and reduce
costs. This idea has led Frederick Taylor, who is a mechanical engineer to conceptualize his
scientific management. Scientific management is a theory that analyzes and synthesizes
workflows to increase efficiency.
Taylor was interested in time and motion studies. Using the scientific method, he studied
how to perform a certain task in the least possible amount of time and how to create a task with
the fewest number of motions. In doing so, the division of labor was standardized. Recruitment
of workers is based on set criteria and are assigned to positions based on skills and abilities. The
work is divided between managers and workers. Managers train workers by providing exact
responsibilities and detailed instructions specific to the worker’s task. They also assess the
workers’ performance to ensure each worker is doing their job efficiently. On the other hand,
workers must implement what they have been trained and they will be divided into groups.
Workers are given a specific task in making the product and they will be paid based on their
merits. However, there were problems with scientific management since the capitalists are the
only ones who benefited from it. Workers are paid the bare minimum for their labor so that
capitalists can maximize profits. The standardization of the division of labor mechanized the
labor of workers and reduced their work to nothing more than the completion of a task. The
specialization of one task prevented workers from recognizing the product as theirs. Workers
could only do one specific task over and over that allowed little room for growth. Thus, they
became unskilled workers that could easily be replaced by other unskilled workers, just like how
parts of a machine are easily replaced and repaired.
The downside of rationality can also be seen in Max Weber's Iron cage. He determined
that the individuals in modern societies are trapped inside the iron cage of rationality shaped by
capitalism. Modern societies seek to regulate everything to efficiently perform tasks. People who
are born in these societies are dictated by rules, standardized processes, and highly specialized
division of labor. This suppressed individual creativity and independence that resulted in
dehumanizing and reducing people to robots. Weber stated that once an individual is trapped in
the iron cage of rationality, they can never escape from it.
References:
Ritzer, George. 2010. Sociological Theory Eighth (8th) Edition. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.
Taylor, Frederick. 1911. The Principles of Scientific Management. New York: Harper &
Brothers.