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Essay / The Iron Cage and Max Weber - 582
Max Weber introduced the sociological concept of the iron cage; this concept signifies the increased rationalization of social life, particularly in Western capitalist societies. The “iron cage” is this idea of an individual feeling trapped, controlled and dehumanized by the systems that control us (Class Notes). The iron cage is the set of rules and laws to which all have been subjected and must adhere. Bureaucracy places us in an iron cage, which limits freedom and individual human potential, instead of liberating us. This is the path of the institution, where we no longer have a choice. Once capitalism appeared, it was like a machine that you were drawn into with no alternative options. Currently, whether we agree or not, for example, if you want to survive, you have to have a job and earn money. Weber believed that social actions were increasingly based on efficiency instead of the older types of social actions, which were based on lineage or kinship. Behavior was now dominated by goal-oriented rationality and less by tradition and values. According to the Internet...