Max Weber

Theoretical perspective

conflict theory (founder along with karl marx)

Bio

-grew up in berlin, germany.
-studied law
-atheist
-Fought with father (mother was religious, father wasnt)

Theoretical perspective

conflict theory (founder along with karl marx)

Bio

-grew up in berlin, germany.
-studied law
-atheist
-Fought with father (mother was religious, father wasnt)

Famous works

-Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism
-The religion of china, the religion of india, and ancient judaism

Verstehen

The ability to put urself in the place of something else (understanding)

ideal type

The perfect type in a perfect world

Values (disagreements to Marx)

-Weber believes you should study what youre passionate about but as a researcher you must be unbiased

-should never be used in the classroom

Stratification (disagreements to Marx)

- Weber believes that the culture determines the economy

- You can have alot of political power but not not alot of money (cult -> econ)

-there is cultural power

organizations

-Patrimonialism
-Bureacracy

Patrimonialism

based on strong personal ties

issues:
-communication because no one could read
-distance
-problems with corruption
-trade

Bureacracy

based on written rules (developed by the church)

-people have to be literate
-improved communication and transportation
-efficient money

Issues:
-red tape
-this system is impersonal (disconnected)

red tape

rules get in the way of efficiency

Politics (theory of politics)

-traditional
-rational/legal
-charismatic

Traditional authority

accepting and following traditions (patrimonal)

Rational/legal authority

Legal rules and regulations are set. Must be legitimate to have authority (bureacracy)

Charismatic authority

assumes someone has a special gift to follow as a legitimate authority

The emergence of modern capitalism

-the protestant ethic
-modern capitalism
-the iron cage and the disenchantment of the world

The prodestant ethic

-predestination
-the calling
-asceticism

Predestination

-The elect will go to have and the damned will go to hell

-Where you go to in the after life is already chosen because god is all knowing

The calling

In Protestantism, the belief that saved individuals have a religious obligation to engage in worldly work.

-looking for signs that you are the elect

Asceticism

-practiced by ascetic who devoid themselfs of the pleasures of life

-emphasize efficiancy
ex.:money goes back to church ,to invest back into buisiness

Modern capitalism

-rationalisation
-routinization

rationalization

is made up of:

-emphasis on efficiency
-we can then make predictions
-then make calculations
- THEN CONTROL

routinization

scientific management

The iron cage and the disenchantment of the world

The problem with bureacracy is that we are trapped (is dehumanizing)