Max Weber, one of the most influential sociologists in the world, had revolutionary thinking and his interpretation of sociological concepts is still studied today. Max Weber proposed numerous theories to the sociological world, one of the best known of which is his evaluation of bureaucracy. Although many other governments have a bureaucracy, it is very useful to look at the U.S. government institution when evaluating Weber's perception of bureaucracy. Max Weber proposed that bureaucracy is an organization that can only exist in the modern state and the most advanced institutions of capitalism. Bureaucracy, as he understood it, is a system in which the government or a business can manage and perform its tasks in the most efficient way. A federal bureaucracy, such as exists in the United States, is a highly structured and formalized type of government organization. Cabinet departments are a great example of how bureaucracy works in the United States government, and these departments are primarily controlled by the president and Congress. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Weber first explained how officials in a bureaucracy are selected based on their expertise, as opposed to their relationship with a politician. In essence, this means that hiring is based on merit, as are promotions. In the past, U.S. presidents often participated in the spoiler system, meaning that after winning an election, the president would hand over government positions to his or her supporters, friends, or family members. This was very problematic, as many unqualified people became members of the government responsible for making difficult decisions that would impact the entire country. In an attempt to stop this, potential civil servants were chosen based on the Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act, which required passing an exam to qualify, rather than simply having a relationship with the politician. Going back to Weber's idea, he believed that this was very important to conduct a fair and orderly government operation. These officials were not elected by the public, but instead appointed based on technical qualification. In the US bureaucracy, cabinet chiefs are appointed by the president. Weber emphasizes that officials should be appointed to their position based on expertise. The bureaucracy is organized to accommodate people's skills and place them in positions where their talents are used. In terms of the US government, the Department of Defense, for example, should be led by someone who has national security experience for that department to thrive. You wouldn't appoint someone with more general skills to a job that requires specific skills. Another important aspect of the Weberian conception of bureaucracy is the idea that all public employees should have impersonal relationships with each other. Since bureaucracy is a form of legal-rational authority, the members who make up the bureaucracy must make decisions based on rational rather than personal grounds. Rational-legal authority is one of Weber's three ideal types of political leadership, and is what exists in most modern, Western societies. Weber recognized that an official's conduct and achievements on the job would be judged by what he or she is capable of accomplishing, not by the personal relationship he or she might have with the person judging him or her. This is crucial to avoid any bias one party may have against another. Furthermore, Weber recognizes that so.