Max Weber, Research Paper Example

Introduction

Max Weber was a German socialist as well as political economist born in 1864 in Erfurt, Prussia which is currently Germany. Max Weber died in 1920 in Munich, Germany (Alan, 2004).  Max Weber is best remembered for the Protestant ethic thesis that he wrote concerning issues of Protestantism to capitalism coupled with the strong ideas that he reserved on bureaucracy. Max Weber was a great writer whose writings made significant contribution to “Symbolic Interactions Perspective” which was one of three of the classical perspectives that were associated with sociology (Richard, 2000). Max Weber also made significant contribution to the temperament of bureaucracies and investigated why these establishments were associated with so much power. The interests of Max Weber in this respect were evaluation of the reasons behind the rapid proliferation of bureaucracies in an environment of industrial revolution. The writings of Max Weber made significant contributions in laying the foundation of modern sociology. The influence of this work permeates to contemporary sociological, political, economical as well as religious realms

Background Information

Weber’s profoundest anxiety influenced a sociological theory that demanded for an objective scholarly approach in analyzing the motives behind human action. Max Weber, one of the three most important patrons of sociology ever known, illuminated to us sociological perspective about the nature of social change and social inequality (Alan, 2004).  Max Weber’s ideological concepts were pegged along demystifying the nature of the society through his influence on classical sociology he is honored as the founder of modern sociology.

Major Sociological Contributions

Max Weber exemplified the interdependence that exists within social institutions when he proved beyond doubt how the changes in the religious institution contributed to changes witnessed in the economic institution. Earlier on no one dared to explore the correlation between religion and economics and the two entities were believed to be autonomous and separated from each other. The emergence of values of Protestantism like those taught by John Calvin, Max Weber pointed at how they supported the development of modern capitalism (Alan, 2004).  Max Weber premonated that bureaucratic system would be a dominant preference of future authorities and he took the clot to categorize traditional, charismatic, and rational-legal systems as future legitimate authority in societies. Max Weber‘s preference on rational-legal leadership which is a type of bureaucratic system was imminently notable (Richard, 2000). Bureaucratic system provides for People to occupy positions based on competency, transparency and accountability while powers and responsibilities are clearly defined.

Relevance of Max Weber’s ideology: Max Weber‘s sociologist theories or ideologies are relevant today

The relevance of Max Weber’s ideologies is reflected in his sociological expanse ”The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism” (Richard, 2000).Weber urged that religion was not ideologically meant to produce economic significance rather made the modern capitalist world possible. As clearly witnessed today, religion is blamed as an impedance of modernization and democracy in some communities’ world over demanding to revisit Weber’s ideological augments from a more holistic perspective.

The teachings of John Calvin also referred to as Calvinist doctrine taught believers to demonstrate their choice of status, which they did by getting involved in commerce and other wealth seeking ventures. According to Weber, a culture of work ethic evolved within Protestantism, valuing work for its own sake but for its results (Richard, 2000). Calvinist doctrine contradicted the older Roman Catholic doctrine that confined the acquisition of wealth to ones needs.

Weber acquires relevance in his attempt to combining economic sociology and the sociology of religion. From his book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Weber clearly attributed ascetic Protestantism as the possible reason rendering the rise of market-driven capitalism and the rational-legal nation-state a issue yet to be empirically refuted (Richard, 2000).

Weber disagreed with the approach of Marx and Durkheim on the issue of the importance of material factors and notion of social factors. Weber suggested that we should look at ideas like the meanings we put onto things and how these ideas add to society and to social changes. Culture is characterized by symbolisms that must bear meanings in order qualify to be symbolic, thus our interpretation of these symbols serves as a vital element of understanding society.

Weber opposed Marx’s perspective on industrial revolution by suggesting that industrial revolution was presided over by a radical change of ideas. This was apparent in the Protestant Reformation, spearheaded by protestant preachers, especially John Calvin, in opposition to the prevailing thoughts and practices of the Catholic (Alan, 2004).  The protestant advocacy was centered on ideas of self sufficiency, prudence and autonomous relations with God instead of priestly intercession protestant advocacy was centered on ideas of self sufficiency, prudence and autonomous relations with God instead of priestly intercession. Protestantism was opposed to a large, corrupt and decadent organization referring to Catholics. Protestant advocacy claimed that the Catholics doctrine denied the independence of thinking denying people an opportunity to start their own businesses, and contribute to growth of the capital worth class. Frugality was considered to be an essential mind-set required to stimulate saving and investment, an important ingredient of capitalism and the industrial revolution.

Conclusion

Conclusively Weber attributed the Protestant Reformation as the main cause of the Industrial Revolution and the rise of Capitalism witnessed at the time, contrary to Marx’s approach on the same issue. Weber was emphatic about the social nature of inequality without refuting the significance of wealth, adding prestige and value judgments that people make about each other and how they contribute to elevating the social class. Marx identified class as related to the wealth of production. He saw a transform from a feudal society con-centered on agriculture classified in terms of the landlords and the peasant class. He also saw the capital owning class taking ownership of factories while workers provided labor in a scenario of the industrial revolution scenario of the industrial revolution. Half a century later Weber in contrast, identified class based upon three factors, power, wealth and prestige. Today’s sociology still emphasizes on power, wealth and prestige, although Marxist sociologists still pegs the means of production to ideas and information (Alan, 2004). Eventually Marx, Durkheim and Weber identify the triple edginess of social inequality, as bearing the elements of wealth, power and prestige. Today this factor is evidenced by conflicts that are clearly present between workers and the managers, where managers are paid to take preserve the interests of the owners, who happen to be shareholders.

References

Alan, S., (2004). Max Weber & the New Century. Transaction Publishers.

Richard, S., (2000). Max Weber and the Idea of Economic Sociology. Princeton University Press.