Key Arguments

• Weber defines the aim as 'minimisation of rule', where the administrator 'act[s] solely according to the will of its members, in their “service.”'
• He argues this is 'best achieved in small organisations whose entire membership can be assembled in one place, who know one another, and who treat each other as equals.', indicating structural conditions that make such minimisation technically feasible.
• He lists the 'usual technical means' for minimising executive power: 'a) brief periods of office, if possible only in between consecutive assemblies; b) standing right of recall; c) the principle of appointment to posts by turn or by lot, so that each “has their turn”; hence, avoidance of power accumulating with those possessing specialist or secretarial knowledge; d) a strict imperative mandate for the conduct of office (substantive, not general, competence), as determined by the assembly; e) strict accountability to the members’ assembly; f) the obligation to bring to the assembly (or to a committee) any special or unforeseen question; g) a number of associated posts assigned to special issues, hence h) the part-time character of the appointment.'
• He specifies that, when staff are elected, 'this takes place in a full assembly of members', reinforcing the direct control of the membership over appointments.
• He notes that 'Administration is effected for the most part orally, with written records being made only insofar as rights need documentation. All important directives are presented to the assembly.', which limits the autonomy and opacity of the administrative apparatus.
• He concludes that 'This type of administration, and those similar to it, is called “direct democracy” for as long as the general assembly remains effective.', explicitly naming and defining this organisational form.

Source Quotes

Disempowered Administrative Organisation and the Administration of Representatives §19. Organisations can seek to reduce to a bare minimum the powers they possess with respect to executive functions (minimisation of rule) by the administrator acting solely according to the will of its members, in their “service.” This is best achieved in small organisations whose entire membership can be assembled in one place, who know one another, and who treat each other as equals.

Organisations can seek to reduce to a bare minimum the powers they possess with respect to executive functions (minimisation of rule) by the administrator acting solely according to the will of its members, in their “service.” This is best achieved in small organisations whose entire membership can be assembled in one place, who know one another, and who treat each other as equals. Larger organisations have also attempted this, such as urban corporations in the past, as have regional communes.

Larger organisations have also attempted this, such as urban corporations in the past, as have regional communes. The usual technical means are a) brief periods of office, if possible only in between consecutive assemblies; b) standing right of recall; c) the principle of appointment to posts by turn or by lot, so that each “has their turn”; hence, avoidance of power accumulating with those possessing specialist or secretarial knowledge; d) a strict imperative mandate for the conduct of office (substantive, not general, competence), as determined by the assembly; e) strict accountability to the members’ assembly; f) the obligation to bring to the assembly (or to a committee) any special or unforeseen question; g) a number of associated posts assigned to special issues, hence h) the part-time character of the appointment. If the administrative staff is appointed by ballot, this takes place in a full assembly of members.

The usual technical means are a) brief periods of office, if possible only in between consecutive assemblies; b) standing right of recall; c) the principle of appointment to posts by turn or by lot, so that each “has their turn”; hence, avoidance of power accumulating with those possessing specialist or secretarial knowledge; d) a strict imperative mandate for the conduct of office (substantive, not general, competence), as determined by the assembly; e) strict accountability to the members’ assembly; f) the obligation to bring to the assembly (or to a committee) any special or unforeseen question; g) a number of associated posts assigned to special issues, hence h) the part-time character of the appointment. If the administrative staff is appointed by ballot, this takes place in a full assembly of members. Administration is effected for the most part orally, with written records being made only insofar as rights need documentation.

All important directives are presented to the assembly. This type of administration, and those similar to it, is called “direct democracy” for as long as the general assembly remains effective. 1.

Key Concepts

• Organisations can seek to reduce to a bare minimum the powers they possess with respect to executive functions (minimisation of rule) by the administrator acting solely according to the will of its members, in their “service.”
• This is best achieved in small organisations whose entire membership can be assembled in one place, who know one another, and who treat each other as equals.
• The usual technical means are a) brief periods of office, if possible only in between consecutive assemblies; b) standing right of recall; c) the principle of appointment to posts by turn or by lot, so that each “has their turn”; hence, avoidance of power accumulating with those possessing specialist or secretarial knowledge; d) a strict imperative mandate for the conduct of office (substantive, not general, competence), as determined by the assembly; e) strict accountability to the members’ assembly; f) the obligation to bring to the assembly (or to a committee) any special or unforeseen question; g) a number of associated posts assigned to special issues, hence h) the part-time character of the appointment.
• If the administrative staff is appointed by ballot, this takes place in a full assembly of members.
• This type of administration, and those similar to it, is called “direct democracy” for as long as the general assembly remains effective.

Context

Opening of §19, where Weber defines a 'disempowered' administrative organisation and sets out the institutional mechanisms that constitute direct democracy as an organisational form.