Max Weber Essay

708 Words2 Pages

Max Weber helped form the foundation of contemporary sociology. His influence has had an effect throughout politics, religion, sociology, and economics. Weber was a German Sociologist in the late 19th-century. As one of the founders of modern sociology he is best known for writing The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism remains to this day one of the greatest influential writings in social science. Weber believed that the Protestant ethic was a significant aspect in the economic accomplishment of Protestant groups in early European capitalism. Protestant groups believed that worldly triumph could be seen as a sign of holy salvation. Weber also suggests that modern capitalism was born
His mother, Helene Fallenstein Weber, promoted a more self-disciplined lifestyle, while his father, Max Weber Sr., was a politically active lawyer. The clashing lifestyles of Weber’s parents profoundly influenced Weber 's development. While growing up, Weber 's home became an environment in which he thrived. Weber took after his mother, and leaned more toward her beliefs and lifestyle rather than his father 's. As Swatos states, “Weber himself was reared as a christian (Lutheran) in his mother 's liberal, nondogmatic mode” (Swatos 348). For most of his teen years Weber involved himself in religious studies; this was an important time for him. Swatos elaborates, “Sociologically it is important to see that this period affected not only Weber’s “belief” in individualism but also his putative “methodological individualism,” i.e., his “science”” (Swatos 348).
Weber studied for three semesters at Heidelberg University, his intellectual focus was on law, history, philosophy and economics. After that, he served a year in the military before eventually resuming his studies. He began his career teaching economics at Freiburg University, before returning to Heidelberg as a professor. The historical turning point for Weber was in 1904. Weber was requested to give a speech at the Congress of Arts and Sciences in St. Louis, Missouri. Through his lecture he became known for his celebrated essays, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of
The goal of Weber’s work is to comprehend the origin of this spirit. And he eventually turns to Protestantism for a prospective explanation. Weber initially perceives a relationship between being Protestant and being involved in business. He expresses his idea to explore religion as a possible cause for the contemporary economic conditions. Weber highlights that his narrative is imperfect. He does not insist that Protestantism produced the capitalistic system. However, he means to say that it was one major contributing element. This is an important revelation because the majority of scientists and sociologists alike choose to ignore the possible contributing factors and roles that religion plays on the community and the

Open Document