How much are Professions linked
to Power and Authority? .... A Review of the book, “ Professions and Power /
Terence J Johnson[i]
Terence J Johnson is one of the
strong critiques of Professional Trait Model in Sociology of Professions. He condemns the model to its logical
ends. Surprisingly the best of writings
in this regard i.e., of Parsons, Merton, Wilensky, Hughes and many others are
brought out in his book in meticulous details.
In Chapter 5 he focusses on
Patronage taking Accountancy for example and analyses. He deliberates on Particularism / localism
with regard to the practice of Accountancy.
He also maps ideological struggle between Accountants in Corporations
and General Prctioners ..... Intrestingly not much has changed, in this
regard. To perceive and note changes in
a profession and its status it does not take decades but centuries.
In Chapter 6 he dwells on Mediation
and its power of influence (from State).
He narrates the power relations between producer and consumer when state
intervenes and interferes. He referrs to
Dahrendorfs work on Lawyers in this context. He emphasizes on the fact that
expertise enjoyed by an occupation shrinks as a result of bureacratixation of
tasks,. The practioner seeks to expand
the range of his authority by accepting advisory and managerial positions
(King, 1968).
Danger : If professionals become
rigid and avoid change, they may loose practice to others.
He brings out the idea that,
“Bureaxcratixation of Professionals is a product of different institutionalised
forms of control. To quote Johnson, “The
conditions which gave rise to institutions of professionalism are no longer
dominant in industrialised societies – a fact which should be direct attention
to alternative forms of control such as
those suggested in the discussion of Patronage and mediative systems.” This seems to be really a misleading
statement. The way professionals exercised
their control earlier might have been different, but their relevance for modern
world is un-questionable. To condemn
profession and professionalism would be disastrous for modern living.
When social scientists continue
to recognise the fact that professionals are on the increase and that
professionalism is on the growth side .... They are also equally aware of the
new contexts in which professionals and professions operate in modern
society. Johnson directly or indirectly
seems to question that there is some essential quality which mark off
professionals from all other occupations.
This very question is malacious.
People in general through out the world know what professions are and
what professionals are upto.
As propounded by Parsons professions
are actuated by the common good and that the professions are to be
distinguished by their collective orientation rather than self
orientation. Professional model is
holistic and all pervasive. Society at
large decides the position and status of each occupation and its
practioners. Nothing less, nothing
more. It is surprising to note that
whenever some professionals re-assess their professional role and over all
status of their profession like nursing, teaching, Designing etc, instead of
being positive and constructive they start attacking the model itself. All to proclaim at the end that theirs is a
profession and that they are no less to any other occupation. This is ridiculous.
Seminal Statements on
Professionalism by Carr Saunders and Wilson (1933) continue to inspire all
those who bestow trust in professional ideology. They saw professions as amongst the most
stable elements in society. They claim
professions to inherit, preserve and pass on a tradition, engender modes of
life, habits of thought and Standards of judgement which render them centres of
resistance to crude forces which threaten steady and peaceful evolution ....
the family, the church and the universities, certain association of
intellectuals and above all great professions stand like rocks against which
the waves rised by these forces in vain”
Undoubtedly professions stand like rocks against individualism,
profiteering and anarchy in society. Millersons list of elements of
professionalism need to be further refined.
Sociologists need to still to focus on mesurable indicators of
professionalism. Gutmans Cumulative
scale to be popularised.
Johnson and his theoretical
propositions are indeed a significant departure from Trait / attributional
model. What surprises is, he seems to be well read and profound
scholarship is proved on his understanding level of profession and its
theoretic model. It looks too immature
when he questions the basic tenets of professionalism and profession. Specially when he goes on to say that
professions and professionlism is on decline.
What is want to say and prove ultimately is unclear and misleading. I certainly think that his theory and
findings could go very well within the broad spectrum of Sociology of
Professions. Spear heading a war against
professions, functionalism will not yield any meaningful credentials either to
professionals nor to socologists like Johnson.
Let inclusiveness prevail in intellectual deliberations and scholarship. Sociology of Profession I am sure is a field
of Studies quite capable enough to encompass different ideologiess and
sims. Hats of to rtheorizationa nd
contributions of PaRSONS, Merton, Hughes and others including that of
Johnson. Inspite of proposing extrems
criticisms on professional model this b ook of Johnson has succeeded in
providing an altogether different outlook and perspective for understanding the
World of Work, Jobs, Occupations and Professions.
Keywords : Sociology of
Professions, Power, Occupations, Work, Terence J Johnson, Functionalism, Structuralism,
Localism, Particularism, Lawyers,
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