The text advocates for a humanistic digital bureaucracy that places humanity, transparency, and ethical values at its core.
The digital transformation of our society continues unabated and deeply penetrates the structures of our public administration. In this crucial phase of historical change, we must realize that bureaucracy is not merely a technical framework but always an expression of societal values and priorities. While we should harness the potential of digitalization for more efficient administrative processes, it is fundamentally important to create a bureaucracy that remains primarily committed to humanistic values and places the dignity of the individual at its center.
The Humanistic Foundation of a Future-oriented Bureaucracy
A bureaucracy guided by digital humanism treats digitalization not as an end in itself but as a means to achieve a more just, transparent, and human-centered society. Digital humanism, as defined in the Vienna Manifesto on Digital Humanism, "describes, analyzes, and influences the complex interaction between technology and humanity for a better society and better life, with full respect for universal human rights" [1].
In this sense, a humanistic bureaucracy must respect and foster the individuality and diversity of people. As Julian Nida-Rümelin emphasizes, the central ability of humans is "to be guided by reasons" [3]. This ability must not be undermined in a digitized bureaucracy but must be strengthened. Citizens must be recognized as "authors of their own lives" and responsible for their decisions [3]. A humanistic bureaucracy supports this authorship instead of undermining it through technological paternalism.
Understanding and Shaping the Algorithmicity of Bureaucracy
By its nature, bureaucracy has always been algorithmic – long before computers existed. It is based on rules, procedures, and systematic processes that are expected to lead to predictable outcomes under given conditions. In this sense, it can indeed be understood as a form of "semi-artificial intelligence": a set of rules created by humans to systematize and rationalize decision-making processes.
This insight should shape our understanding of the digital transformation of bureaucratic processes. Digitalization is not the introduction of algorithmicity into administration but rather a new stage of its implementation. This raises fundamental questions: What values should be embedded in these algorithms? Who controls them? And how transparent are they for those whose lives they affect?
The danger does not lie in the algorithmicity itself but in the temptation to transfer human judgment and responsibility to opaque technical systems. "Decisions whose consequences could affect individual or collective human rights must continue to be made by humans" [1]. This central demand of the Vienna Manifesto must become the foundation of any digital administrative reform.
Deliberation in the Digital Age
Deliberative processes – the open exchange of arguments, collective weighing of reasons, and collective judgment – are the core of democratic societies. They must not be discredited or displaced by hasty digitalization. Instead, digital tools should serve to strengthen and make deliberative processes more inclusive.
The particular challenge lies in ensuring the transparency of algorithmic decision-making processes. A humanistic approach demands that algorithms must not function as inscrutable "black boxes," but their mode of operation and decision-making bases must be understandable. This is not just a technical but, above all, an ethical requirement.
People have a right to understand the basis on which decisions affecting their lives are made.
As Hannes Werthner notes: "Digital humanism follows a constructive approach, focusing on technologies that empower people, facilitate access to knowledge, enable participation and inclusion in society, and support diversity" [1]. Therefore, a humanistic bureaucracy must develop tools that promote citizen participation in decision-making processes rather than hindering it through technological complexity.
Concrete Steps towards a Humanistic Digital Bureaucracy
To create a bureaucracy that is both digitally advanced and humanistically grounded, concrete measures are necessary:
Development of Ethical Guidelines: Every digital administration system should be based on clearly formulated ethical principles that put people at the center. These guidelines must be developed with the involvement of various social groups.
Transparency of Algorithmic Decisions: Citizens should have the right to know how automated decisions are made. This includes access to understandable explanations of the algorithms used and their decision criteria.
Human Control: Ultimately, a human should be responsible for all major decisions. Automated systems should serve as support, not as a replacement for human judgment.
Promotion of Digital Competence: A humanistic digital bureaucracy requires competent citizens. Educational programs should not only impart technical skills but also critical thinking and an understanding of the ethical dimensions of digital technologies.
Inclusive Design: Digital administration systems must be designed to be accessible to all citizens, regardless of their technical skills, age, or potential disabilities.
The Deontological Dimension of Digital Bureaucracy
From a deontological perspective, which emphasizes duty and the intrinsic value of actions, we must acknowledge that the design of bureaucratic systems cannot be value-neutral. We have the moral duty to create systems that respect and promote the dignity and autonomy of every person. The digitization of bureaucracy must never become an end in itself that undermines the fundamental principles of humanism.
As Sarah Bakewell writes in her reflection on humanism, it's about "Only connect!" – establishing connections between people, between different perspectives, and between various fields of knowledge [2]. A humanistic digital bureaucracy must promote these connections rather than hinder them through technological barriers.
Humanism as the Guiding Culture of Digital Transformation
A bureaucracy committed to digital humanism understands technology as a tool to promote human well-being, not as an end in itself. It recognizes the algorithmic nature of bureaucratic processes but insists that these algorithms must be transparent, fair, and human-centered. It uses digital technologies to strengthen and make inclusive deliberative processes instead of replacing them with opaque automated decisions.
At a time when technological development often progresses faster than our ethical reflection, it is crucial to rely on the fundamental values of humanism: the dignity of individuals, their ability for reason and responsibility, their freedom as authors of their own lives. These values must form the guiding culture of any bureaucratic reform, so digitalization becomes a catalyst, not a hindrance, to a more just, freer, and human society.
As Julian Nida-Rümelin expresses it: "Digital humanism sharpens the criteria for human responsibility in the face of the availability of digital technologies and calls for an extension of responsibility attribution to communication and interaction mediated by digital technologies" [1]. In this sense, we should shape the digital transformation of our bureaucracy – as a profoundly human project that reflects our shared values and promotes our collective well-being.
References
[1] Winter, D., & Nida-Rümelin, J. (2024). Introduction to Digital Humanism. Springer. https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-45304-5
[2] Bakewell, S. (2022). How to be a Human Being: A Philosophical Guide. C.H. Beck. ISBN 9783406805523.
[3] Nida-Rümelin, J. (2022). A Theory of Practical Reason. De Gruyter. ISBN 9783110603538.
