MAX WEBER 101 Sociology Series #3

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FURTHER READING

Between 1880 and 1900 there was a growth in the natural sciences in Europe. Physics, biology and chemistry had all become increasingly prestigious in the scholarly community due to their advancements. As a result, some people began to discredit the social sciences such as History, Economics and Philosophy labelling them as speculative. There’s no doubt that the issues raised during this period had an impact upon Weber’s methodology and therefore, in order to develop the social sciences, Weber insisted there was a distinction made between the methods of the social sciences and the methods of the natural sciences.

Some of Weber’s most important works include:

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
The Critique of Stammler
The Sociology of Religion
Economy and Society

Although this particular video doesn’t go into detail about The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism this is one of his most major investigative works.

Weber believed capitalism didn’t develop in the East in the same way that it had in the West due to the hostility of religious beliefs toward commercial life.

Weber distinguished between what he called ‘pariah’ and ‘rational’ capitalism. Pariah capitalism is ritualistic and based upon magical beliefs, whereas rational capitalism rejects magical thinking and faith. As religion became less ritualistic and based on external prophecy, magical thinking began to be replaced by rational action, and this is where a shift from pariah to rational capitalism occurred.

Prophecy places power upon God rather than an individual’s actions. Prophecy religion leads to rational procedures because those people claiming miracles are then compelled to give credit to God and work within the sphere of prophecy.

Within Christianity, according to Weber, individuals are ethically responsible due to the formation of religious ideas which made the individual the recipients of prophecy.

This means an individual’s conduct within their daily life was shaped by religious and ethical pursuits which resulted in an obligation to economic life through their devotion to labour.