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The Star
17 hours ago
- Science
- The Star
Iron cage in the AI age
IF Max Weber were alive today, I'm pretty sure he'd be less worried about bureaucrats in grey suits and more about engineers writing code in Silicon Valley or Shenzhen. That's because the 'iron cage' of rationality – the term the German sociologist coined over a century ago to describe how modern life gets trapped in systems designed for efficiency, predictability, and control – has found its most advanced form in artificial intelligence (AI).
New York Times
6 days ago
- Politics
- New York Times
Charisma Rules the World
The 2020s should have been the decade when American politics began to make sense. The multibillion-dollar industry of public opinion polling can turn vibe shifts into tweetable bar graphs and trend lines. Surveys have found that affiliation with traditional religious institutions has mostly declined over the past generation, so one might conclude that more Americans now form their worldviews and choose leaders based on cool logic and material interest. And over this data-driven landscape extends the lengthening shadow of our artificial intelligence overlords, who promise to rationalize more and more of our lives, for our own good. Yet somehow, despite the experts' interactive graphics and the tricks that large language models can do, it has only gotten harder to understand the worldviews and political choices of half the country (whichever half you don't belong to). Perhaps, then, we should pay more attention to the human quirks that confound statisticians and that A.I. can't quite crack — desires and drives that have not changed much over the centuries. That means rescuing a familiar word from decades of confusion and cliché: charisma. In New Testament Greek, the word means gift of grace or supernatural power. But when we use it to describe the appeal of a politician, a preacher's hold over his congregation or a YouTube guru with a surprisingly large following, we are taking a cue from the sociologist Max Weber. He spent much of his career studying what happens to spiritual impulses as a society becomes more secular and bureaucratic. A little more than a century ago, he borrowed 'charisma' from the Bible and Christian history to describe the relationship between leaders and followers in both religion and politics. Charisma, he wrote, is a form of authority that does not depend on institutional office, military might or claims on tradition. Instead, charisma derives from followers' belief that their leader possesses a supernatural mission and power: 'a certain quality of an individual personality by virtue of which he is set apart from ordinary men.' Weber described himself as 'religiously unmusical' and insisted that he was reinventing charisma in a 'completely value-neutral sense.' But the magnetism that he observed in some leaders — and their followers' sense of calling and duty — seemed to demand a spiritual description. The secular vocabulary developing in his corner of academia, the new disciplines of the social sciences, was not up to the task. 'In order to do justice to their mission, the holders of charisma, the master as well as his disciples and followers, must stand outside the ties of this world,' he wrote. Even as he resisted his colleagues' tendencies to reduce human behavior to animal instincts and reflexes, Weber missed a key element. Charisma is not something that leaders have; it's something that they do. Charisma is a kind of storytelling. It's an ability to invite followers into a transcendent narrative about what their lives mean. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Economist
13-06-2025
- Business
- Economist
Can you pass the toughest tests in the world?
Civil-service exams in China and India are notoriously difficult. But they shape their countries' societies Max Weber, sensible German intellectual that he was, considered bureaucracy the best way to organise large societies. And societies don't come any larger than China and India, where the decisions of bureaucrats shape the lives of more than a quarter of the world's people. Even as the countries' private sectors have grown in recent decades, jobs in their civil services remain deeply coveted. Government jobs in India, especially in the federal services that run the country, remain a ticket to prosperity, prestige and better marriage prospects. In China, where the economy has slowed, securing a top-tier state job (known locally as 'landing ashore') is back in fashion—quite literally. Young people sometimes don 'cadre-style' attire—windbreakers in muted colours and high-waisted suit trousers—in order to emulate officials. But perhaps the biggest similarity between the two bureaucracies is the brutality of their selection processes, which hinge on a gruelling set of examinations. To give you a taste of the difficulty, The Economist has chosen some questions from the first part of recent exams. Have a go: Such questions are only a small part of a much larger process. In India those who pass the first exam in May or June must sit a second later in the year. This features nine papers taken over 27 hours. In China the written test takes place on one day in late November or early December. Candidates do a multiple-choice exam and then write a series of essays testing their understanding of policy, as well as their writing skills. Both countries hold in-person interviews as a final filter. Only a fraction survive the ordeal. Last year 1.1m people applied to join the top tier of India's civil service, but around 1,000 (0.2% of those who actually sat the first exam) were offered a spot. In China a record 3.41m people registered and passed the initial screening for the national civil-service exam last year—well over twice the number who did so in 2014. Just over 39,700 (1.5% of those who sat the exam) secured a job. In both countries the exams are considered the fairest way to filter candidates. Indeed, in India they were introduced by British colonial masters after Indians complained about the previous patronage-based system. In China, the guokao, as the exam is called, is modelled on the keju, which was instituted in 587 and was lauded for being relatively corruption-free and meritocratic. Candidates' ability to leapfrog social classes was so cherished that, say some academics, the riots that followed the exam's abolition in 1905 contributed to the toppling of the Qing dynasty, China's last imperial rulers, a few years later. The civil-service exam in China has shaped the country's evolution. The keju was the 'anchor of Chinese autocracy', according to Yasheng Huang, who has written a book about it. Mind-bogglingly difficult, it required total intellectual commitment, sometimes from the age of five, leaving the most talented and ambitious members of society no time to foment new ideas. Gui Youguang, a 16th-century writer, passed the exam's final stage aged 59, after decades of failed attempts, and died shortly after. The guokao, which can only be taken by those aged 35 or under, remains an important tool for the state. After China embarked on market reforms in the 1970s, the bureaucracy took on a more important role in a complex, open society. As a result, the guokao was tweaked to examine candidates' knowledge of laws and regulations. Over time the questions became more practical, testing common sense and numeracy. But in recent years the exam has also become a test of party loyalty, with ever more questions dedicated to Xi Jinping Thought. Chinese essay questions 'Dedicate yourself to your field, constantly 'refine' and 'repair', and silently contribute to a warm and steadfast order of life for the people, while progressing steadily.' Based on your understanding of this sentence, draw on real-life examples and experiences, choose your own angle and title, and write an essay. Write a report on the achievements, shortcomings and suggestions for improvement regarding the implementation of the Intangible Cultural Heritage Law. Conduct an in-depth analysis of the three dimensions of administrative law enforcement—'power' (力), 'reason' (理) and 'interest' (利). Draw on real-life examples and experiences, choose your own angle and title, and write an essay. India's civil service, in contrast, has remained relatively apolitical. After independence in 1947, leaders chose to retain the 'steel frame' of the Imperial Civil Service, but changed the role of the bureaucrats it hired from upholding colonial rule to ensuring development. By 1979 competition to enter the service was so fierce that a second set of exams was introduced to test candidates' breadth of knowledge. In 2012 a paper on ethics was added. India's civil service is associated with prestige—but also corruption. In a recent high-profile example, a young civil servant in the eastern state of Odisha was accused of accepting a bribe of 1m rupees ($11,683) from a businessman. Indian essay questions Is conscience a more reliable guide when compared to laws, rules and regulations in the context of ethical decision-making? Discuss. Child cuddling is now being replaced by mobile phones. Discuss its impact on the socialization of children. Thinking is like a game, it does not begin unless there is an opposite team. Discuss. Success in both exams requires immense toil. Many examinees do not work in the year, even years, leading up to the test; those holding down jobs end up studying early in the morning or late at night. Thousands seek the help of coaching centres; the best ones offer full-time training and board. Shikha Singh, for example, moved from a small town in central India to Delhi just to prepare for the exam surrounded by fellow aspirants. She has failed the test three times, but ramped up her efforts with each attempt. Ahead of her recent fourth try, Ms Singh put in ten-hour days, but worries that still might not be enough to cover the wide variety of subjects. In south-eastern China, Ms Zhong, a prospective civil servant from Jiangxi province, has put in similar shifts since quitting her job in 2023 and moving back in with her parents. Her concern is that preparation alone may not be enough in an exam that tests 'innate ability'. Even if they succeed, will their effort be worth it? Those who pass the exams reap instant and long-term benefits, such as housing and a pension (and often a job) for life. Once in their roles they are treated like royalty, with an army of staff to do their bidding and a special chair marked with a white towel. Research from India suggests some correlation between exam performance and effectiveness as a civil servant. But in both countries critics believe the exams filter candidates according to the wrong criteria. By screening for rote-learning and test-taking, they neglect to assess actual public-policy skills such as management, teamwork and communication. This contributes to the poor performance of the bureaucracy. On a measure of government effectiveness calculated by the World Bank, China and India rank in the 74th and 68th percentiles globally. In both countries efforts are under way to recruit people in other ways. China is experimenting with hiring some candidates for fixed terms according to their experience, rather than their exam performance. Similarly India has introduced a 'lateral-entry' scheme to allow private-sector specialists to join the public workforce. But these remain nascent initiatives. Exams will remain the backbone of public-sector recruitment. If the merits of this selection process are debatable, the costs—both human and economic—are more easily quantified. Aspirants who fail to meet the mark tend to try again. A cycle of application and rejection has an effect on morale: exam failure often pushes candidates to suicide in both countries. Ms Singh, the Indian candidate, feels she has lost social status because of her failed attempts. Her Chinese counterpart, Ms Zhong, is also weighed down by anxiety. 'Only a few people pass the exam,' she says. 'I wonder what those who fail do.' It is an important question. Years of youth spent in study, instead of work, are an economic loss. The exams force college graduates to delay employment, reducing their long-term consumption. And the subjects so feverishly swotted up late at night are not necessarily of use once the exams are over. Knowing big cats' biological intricacies or the details of Xi Jinping Thought might help candidates earn a civil servant's towel-covered chair—but perhaps not a place in the private sector.
Indianapolis Star
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
These Indiana agencies are officially partnering with ICE to enforce immigration law
Since President Donald Trump's inauguration, four Indiana law enforcement agencies have signed up to participate in the federal government's 287(g) Program, which allows their officers to enforce certain immigration law. The program allows local law enforcement to partner with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, granting trained deputies the right to enforce immigration laws within their jurisdiction. It prioritizes the arrest and detention of people in the country illegally who are accused or convicted of crimes. ICE offers law enforcement agencies three models for enforcing immigration law: Earlier this year, the Indiana General Assembly attempted to approve legislation that would have allowed Indiana's Department of Homeland Security to disburse grants to law enforcement agencies seeking to participate in the 287(g) program. The funds would help pay salaries and overtime for officers who go through the training, while federal funds would pay for the training and equipment costs. Both pieces of legislation, Senate Bill 430 and House Bill 1158, ultimately failed to be approved by the Indiana General Assembly. Here's a list of the four Indiana law enforcement agencies that have signed up for the government's 287(g) program as of May 12, 2025, according to data from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement website. On April 10, 2025, the Greens Fork Police Department, which serves a small rural town in eastern Indiana, signed up to participate in ICE's Task Force Model. It's the only municipality law enforcement agency in the state to sign up for the federal government's 287(g) program. The town of Greens Fork has a total population of 335, according to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau data, the most recent available for the town. Out of the 335 people living in the city, four people were identified as Hispanic or Latino, and all foreign-born people living in the city were considered naturalized citizens, according to the U.S. Census Bureau data. Population breakdown, according to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau data: The Greens Fork Police Department is the only law enforcement agency in Wayne County that has signed up to join the federal government's 287(g) program. At the beginning of the year, the Wayne County Sheriff's Office announced it was in compliance with all of ICE's requests and is following all protocols after the Center for Immigration Studies, an independent, nonpartisan, and non-profit research organization, mistakenly labeled it a sanctuary county. The county has since rectified the issue. On March 26, 2025, the Noble County Sheriff's Office, which serves a rural county northeast of Fort Wayne, signed up to participate in ICE's Warrant Service Officer Model. Noble County Sheriff Max Weber told local media in March that the county had already been working with ICE. Noble County Jail Commander Jenny Cummins shared that the county books at least one non-citizen into jail at least once a week. The county is estimated to serve 47,417 people, according to the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau Data. Population breakdown, according to the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau data: On March 17, 2025, the Jasper County Sheriff's Office, which serves a rural county an hour south of Gary, Indiana, signed up to participate in ICE's Warrant Service Officer Model. The county is estimated to serve 33,198 people, according to the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau. Population breakdown, according to the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau data: On March 3, 2025, the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office, which serves the county north of Indianapolis, signed up to participate in ICE's Jail Enforcement Model. The Hamilton County Sheriff's Office made headlines earlier this year when it became the first Indiana county to sign up for to be part of the 287g program. "By strengthening our partnership with ICE and other federal agencies, we will address criminal activities linked to illegal immigration," Chief Deputy John Lowes, who will oversee the initiative, said in a news release. The county is estimated to serve 371,645 people, according to the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau. Population breakdown, according to the 2023 U.S. Census Bureau data:
Euronews
18-04-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
United in diversity, divided by holidays: How Easter breaks across the EU
ADVERTISEMENT The EU's motto is 'United in Diversity', and it shines through whether you cook with olive oil or butter. But nothing splits Europe down the middle quite like Easter holidays. If you're confused about who's off and when, don't worry, so is the rest of Europe. Though Easter has largely lost its religious weight in increasingly secular Europe, its public holiday status varies greatly across the continent: From Good Friday to Pentecost Monday, different countries mark different days as public holidays. And let's be honest: there are never quite enough holidays for workers, so it's only natural to look across the border and feel a twinge of envy. So, what does the Easter holiday map look like across the EU? A reversal of the Protestant work ethic Just like the butter-versus-olive-oil divide, there's a clear North-South split when it comes to Easter holidays. Northern Europe, particularly countries with Protestant roots, tends to grant more days off during Easter than their Southern, Catholic counterparts. Not so obvious, given the so-called Protestant work ethic described by sociologist Max Weber as the foundation of capitalism. Yet, traditionally "hard-working" nations like Germany go big on Easter, observing almost the full Easter holiday package - Good Friday, Easter Monday and even Ascension Day and Pentecost Monday. Oddly enough, Easter Sunday itself isn't a nationwide public holiday there except in the state of Brandenburg. Easter Sunday surprise Traditional decorated Easter Eggs present in baskets on a table, prior to the opening of an Easter Market of Germany's Slavic-speaking Sorbian ethnic minority. AP Photo Germany is not an exception: In many EU countries, Easter Sunday isn't officially recognised as a public holiday - and not because it's not important, but because it already falls on a non-working day. Instead, the emphasis shifts to Easter Monday, which is a public holiday in most places. At least 12 EU countries, including Austria, France, Czechia, Slovakia, Croatia, Slovenia, and Luxembourg, do not count Easter Sunday as an official holiday for the same reason. That said, Easter Monday is a public holiday across nearly all of the EU, except for a few exceptions like Spain, where it's only a holiday in certain autonomous regions such as Catalonia, the Basque Country, Navarre; and Portugal, where it's not officially recognised at all. The Good Friday patchwork Malta flips the script: it doesn't observe Easter Monday or any other day with a day off for workers, except Good Friday which is a national public holiday. ADVERTISEMENT Some notable EU countries don't consider Good Friday a holiday, including Italy, France, Slovenia, and Lithuania - despite some of these being traditionally Catholic nations. In Belgium (where this article is being tapped out while definitely not on holiday), today is like any ordinary working Friday. In Ireland, Good Friday isn't a statutory holiday either, but it is often observed informally, with many businesses choosing to close. Austria used to treat Good Friday as a 'selective' holiday for members of certain religious denominations, such as the Old Catholic Church and Methodists. ADVERTISEMENT That changed after a 2015 case involving a private detective agency employee who claimed religious discrimination for not receiving holiday pay. The case reached the EU Court of Justice, which ruled in 2019 that such selective holidays based on religion amounted to direct discrimination. The extended Easter: Ascension, Pentecost (and Maundy Thursday) Think Easter ends after the Sunday chocolate binge? Think again. Ascension Day (40 days later) and Pentecost Monday (50 days after) are celebrated with some days off. If you're in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, or the Netherlands, lucky you, both days are public holidays. Meanwhile, places like Greece, Hungary, and Portugal skip them entirely. In Denmark, Italy, Poland, and Sweden, only Ascension Day is observed, meaning that Pentecost is not a day off. ADVERTISEMENT Maundy Thursday (the day before Good Friday) is generally not a public holiday across most of the EU, but it does get some attention. In Denmark, where it's called 'Skærtorsdag', it's a legit national holiday. In Spain, certain regions such as Andalusia, Castilla and León also treat it as a day off - because when in doubt, add another holiday.
