Administration by notables—typical in non‑bureaucratised political parties and many organisations—is… — Max Weber

Administration by notables—typical in non‑bureaucratised political parties and many organisations—is 'unpaid' for the organisation but can become very costly for individual members when urgent and technically demanding problems arise, and both genuine direct democracy and genuine rule by notables encounter technical limits once membership and tasks surpass certain thresholds, leading in practice to rule by permanent specialist officials under ever‑changing dilettant directors.

By Max Weber, from Economy and Society

Key Arguments

Weber says 'Administration by notables can be found in all kinds of organisations; it is, for instance, typical of political parties that have not been bureaucratised.', pointing to its widespread occurrence and especially to early‑stage parties.
He notes the cost structure: 'It always implies extensive administration: while it is “unpaid” by the organisation, if it so happens that very urgent economic and administrative issues call for precise action, it can then become “very expensive” for the individual members.', showing that 'free' leadership can impose hidden costs.
He asserts that 'Both genuine direct democracy and genuine administration by notables run into technical difficulties once numbers in the organisation pass a certain (admittedly elastic) level (a few thousand members with equal and full rights); or when administrative tasks arise that call for both specialised training and consistent direction.', identifying scale and task complexity as structural limits.
He explains that if such complex tasks 'is left to permanently employed specialist officials working under the direction of ever-changing directors, then the administration is in fact normally in the hands of those who do the work, whereas the interventions of the latter remain for the most part dilettantist in character.', indicating a de facto transfer of power to the bureaucracy.

Source Quotes

3. Administration by notables can be found in all kinds of organisations; it is, for instance, typical of political parties that have not been bureaucratised. It always implies extensive administration: while it is “unpaid” by the organisation, if it so happens that very urgent economic and administrative issues call for precise action, it can then become “very expensive” for the individual members.

Administration by notables can be found in all kinds of organisations; it is, for instance, typical of political parties that have not been bureaucratised. It always implies extensive administration: while it is “unpaid” by the organisation, if it so happens that very urgent economic and administrative issues call for precise action, it can then become “very expensive” for the individual members. Both genuine direct democracy and genuine administration by notables run into technical difficulties once numbers in the organisation pass a certain (admittedly elastic) level (a few thousand members with equal and full rights); or when administrative tasks arise that call for both specialised training and consistent direction.

It always implies extensive administration: while it is “unpaid” by the organisation, if it so happens that very urgent economic and administrative issues call for precise action, it can then become “very expensive” for the individual members. Both genuine direct democracy and genuine administration by notables run into technical difficulties once numbers in the organisation pass a certain (admittedly elastic) level (a few thousand members with equal and full rights); or when administrative tasks arise that call for both specialised training and consistent direction. If this is left to permanently employed specialist officials working under the direction of ever-changing directors, then the administration is in fact normally in the hands of those who do the work, whereas the interventions of the latter remain for the most part dilettantist in character.

Both genuine direct democracy and genuine administration by notables run into technical difficulties once numbers in the organisation pass a certain (admittedly elastic) level (a few thousand members with equal and full rights); or when administrative tasks arise that call for both specialised training and consistent direction. If this is left to permanently employed specialist officials working under the direction of ever-changing directors, then the administration is in fact normally in the hands of those who do the work, whereas the interventions of the latter remain for the most part dilettantist in character. A typical example of this is the situation of German university rectors, who take turns at academic administration alongside their professorial duties, as compared with the university administrator, and even in some circumstances, his staff.

Key Concepts

Administration by notables can be found in all kinds of organisations; it is, for instance, typical of political parties that have not been bureaucratised.
It always implies extensive administration: while it is “unpaid” by the organisation, if it so happens that very urgent economic and administrative issues call for precise action, it can then become “very expensive” for the individual members.
Both genuine direct democracy and genuine administration by notables run into technical difficulties once numbers in the organisation pass a certain (admittedly elastic) level (a few thousand members with equal and full rights); or when administrative tasks arise that call for both specialised training and consistent direction.
then the administration is in fact normally in the hands of those who do the work, whereas the interventions of the latter remain for the most part dilettantist in character.

Context

§20, point 3, where Weber evaluates the practical and technical limits of administration by notables and direct democracy, describing the shift toward bureaucratic control under conditions of scale and complexity.