Academic literature on the topic 'Weber, Max, 1864-1920 – Criticism and interpretation'

Max Weber passed away on 14 June 1920 at the early age of 56, from consequences of the last pandemic – the Spanish Flu (Kaesler 2014, 15-16). During the last 100 years, Weber’s positionas one of the world’s great economists, sociologists, social science theorists, and public administration scholars has been secure (see Whimster 2004), if with ups and downs. Weber’seminence is probably the least contested in the last field – not uncontested, for sure, as eminence must attract criticism. Ups and downs yes, but Weber remains central. At a minimum, we may say that he is the most important public administration thinker of his time, even of modern public administration. One can think with or against Weber in public administration, but by and large, not really without him. We therefore decided that it was not only fitting, but even necessary, to include a short tribute to him in a Halduskultuur issue this year, a fortioriseeing that this journal has carried several studies of Max Weber, Weberianism, and the Neo-Weberian State (e.g. Samier 2005; Drechsler 2005; 2009; Kostakis 2011), and indeed, that the concept of Administrative Culture is particularly Weberian.

The thesis that Protestantism in general, and Calvinism in particular, are in some particularly close relationship with capitalism, just as it existed between capitalism and feudalism, has become a common accepted truth of historical interpretation, despite the modifications that this theory has undergone since Max Weber (1864-1920) first formulated it.

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The main subject of this investigation is concerned with the idealistic influences on Max Weber spiritualistic interpretation. The problem gained as heritage from German idealism, initially referred as an inverted world , since it can be understood as the difficulty that challenges the historic interpretation of practical values, this problem may be also identified inside Max Weber s interpretation of both, ethical and aesthetical phenomena. This investigation is twofold, as the subtitle indicates; the first part shall deal with the aesthetical fragmentation, the emergence of conflictive values in the artistic phenomena. The second part shall deal with the ethical crisis, undertaking this expression in the most literal sense, as a breakdown or a rupture of the ethical world. Both interpretations shall joint together, composing the Weberian diagnosis of an absolute polytheism and of the problem of theodicy. The Weberian theory of values once properly grasped shall finally guide us to draw a conclusion about the relation between spiritualistic and materialistic interpretations, as presented in the guidelines of Max Weber s greatest interests in the economic ethics of the world religions.
O principal tema dessa investigação está voltado para as influências idealistas na intepretação espiritualista de Max Weber. O problema adquirido por herança do idealismo alemão, denominado inicialmente de problema do mundo invertido , corresponde à dificuldade que desafia a intepretação histórica dos valores práticos. Ele será identificado no interior da interpretação de Max Weber tanto dos fenômenos éticos como estéticos. Tal como o subtítulo sugere, trata-se de uma investigação em duas instâncias; a primeira abordará a fragmentação estética, o surgimento de valores conflitantes segundo os fenômenos do campo da arte. A segunda parte abordará a crise ética, tomando essa expressão no seu sentido mais literal, como um rompimento, uma cisão no mundo ético. Essas duas interpretações poderão ser justapostas por se remeterem tanto ao diagnóstico de Weber de um politeísmo, como ao problema da teodiceia. Uma vez que a teoria weberiana dos valores for propriamente identificada, ela poderá então nos conduzir a uma conclusão acerca da relação entre a interpretação espiritualista e materialista que compõe o principal interesse de Max Weber na ética econômica das religiões mundiais.

This thesis revolves around a textual analysis of the Weberian thesis that classes, status groups and parties are phenomena of the distribution of power within society. An internal reconstruction of Weber's own ideas on what is called social stratification in contemporary sociological discourse is undertaken. The reason for this reconstruction inheres in the fact that Weber's thought (especially, in the field of social stratification) has been analysed, modified and misappropriated to such an extent that Weber himself is usually lost in the commentaries. Firstly, the epistemological-methodological and sociological principles underpinning Weber's study of social stratification are explored. The thesis goes on to examine a few concepts central to Weber's analysis of structured social inequality. These include power, resistance, domination and discipline. The remainder of the thesis argues that Weber was primarily engaged in an historically oriented study of the distribution of power in various societies. Weber's idea of classes as bases of the aggregation of economic power within the modern capitalist market economy is appraised. In respect of status groups, the thesis mainly concentrates on Weber's conception of medieval estates as phenomena of the distribution of power within the feudal social order in the West. Weber's understanding of the distribution of political power between responsible political leaders, democratic parties and the electoral masses within the Gennan nation-state is also evaluated. The final conclusion which is drawn from the research is that the new fonns of social inequality emerging in postmodern society cannot be conceptualised in a comprehensive fashion by relying on the Weberian thesis that classes, status groups and parties are bases of the aggregation of power within society.