Marx Weber Study Questions
Why is the "rationalization of production" dependent on discipline, and necessary for the modern "Ameican system of 'scientific management?'
the vehicle of this major ideological shift is what Veblen calls "machine process," i.e. that process of mechanization and rationalization of production systems that in 1904 was fully in operation and would eventually lead to scientific management and Taylorism.49 Investigating machine process' effect on psychology, habits and institutions, he concludes that "the standardization of workmen's intellectual life" would bring about a scheme of knowledge and of inference "based on the laws of material causation, not on those of immemorial custom, authenticity or authoritative enactment." The new "discipline of everyday life" produces the "iconoclastic discipline" of socialism and under its wing the preconceptions of private property and natural rights, inculcated by the discipline of everyday life in the eighteenth century, would be the first institutions to fall
Why is it somehow ok for academics to be vain, and not politicians?
academics relates to productivity. productivity is also not supposed to be an end in itself. Speaking of vain pursuits, the purpose of productivity is not so that you can post about it and elicit wonder from other people about how awesomely productive you are. human beings are by nature political animals, because nature, which does nothing in vain, has equipped them with speech, which enables them to communicate moral concepts such as justice which are formative of the household and city-state
Politics as a Vocation
an essay by German economist and sociologist Max Weber (1864-1920). It originated in the second lecture of a series (the first was Science as a Vocation) he gave in Munich to the "Free (i.e. Non-incorporated) Students Union" of Bavaria on 28 January 1919. This happened during the German Revolution when Munich itself was briefly the capital of the Bavarian Socialist Republic. Weber gave the speech based on handwritten notes which were transcribed by a stenographer. The essay was published in an extended version in July 1919, and translated into English only after World War II. The essay is today regarded as a classic work of political science and sociology.
Which ethic is about the "anticipation of consequences," and why is this important?
anticipation of consequences is a key process in everyday functioning. The striatum and the ventromedial prefrontal cortex are among the key regions that have been shown to be involved in outcome anticipation. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6094992/
What is the problem of "vanity" in politics?
as economists have shown how reputational concerns lead agents e.g. to ignore valuable information, to herd, and to become overly risk averse
How are ethnic and caste-based Staende the same? Different?
caste systems are closed social stratification systems in which people inherit their position and experience little mobility. castes are most often stratified by race or ethnicity, economic status, or religious status. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-sociology/chapter/systems-of-stratification/
class status
classifying people by their economic situation or occupation
Discipline and Charisma
discipline: the practice of training people to obey rules or a code of behavior, using punishment to correct disobedience charisma: compelling attractiveness or charm that can inspire devotion in others.
Why is vanity so common in politics?
vain politician who pursues power, or what he calls a "power politician", may receive support and the semblance of power, but in reality, their work is pointless and achieves nothing - it is an "entirely empty gesture" https://blogs.ubc.ca/socialtheory/2018/02/11/vanity-the-inevitable-human-condition-that-brings-about-the-pitfalls-of-politics/
How does Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft relate to each other?
gemeinschaft, often translated as " community ", is a concept referring to individuals bound together by common norms, often because of shared physical space and shared beliefs. gesellschaft, often translated as " society ", refers to associations in which self-interest is the primary justification for membership.
How does a subordinate Stand think of itself relative to other Staende? Especially dominant Staende?
http://www.ethnography.com/2011/07/dominance-and-subordination-max-weber-style/
how does a dominant Stand think of itself relative to other Staende? Especially subordinated Staende?
http://www.ethnography.com/2011/07/dominance-and-subordination-max-weber-style/
What might a politician think of the Sermon on the Mount?
https://derekzrishmawy.com/2013/04/15/a-political-non-pacifist-reading-of-the-sermon-on-the-mount/
Which religions theory does the "Protestant Ethic" come out of, and how? What is the logic underlying this?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Protestant_Ethic_and_the_Spirit_of_Capitalism
What kind of charisma does a leader [Fuehrer] need?
https://www.facinghistory.org/holocaust-and-human-behavior/chapter-5/working-toward-fuhrer
Why does Weber mention the last ton of fossil fuel on p. 123?
https://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/664617?mobileUi=0&journalCode=ajs
When Weber writes that the pursuit of gain is stripped of its religious-ethical meaning, and becomes like a religion (p. 124), what will happen to how humans view themselves?
https://www.jstor.org/stable/591543?seq=1 This pulsating mechanism does so with over- whelming force. Perhaps it will continue to do so until the last ton of fossil fuel has burned to ashes. According to Baxter, the concern for material goods should lie upon the shoulders like a "lightweight coat that could be tossed off at any given time." Yet fate allowed a steel-hard casing to be forged from this coat. (p. 123)
Why was "Puritan discipline" more effective in war than the pizazz of the Cavaliers?
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305233163_Discipline_and_Charisma
How did Franklin look at leisure, and time spent in pursuit of pleasure?
it has been computed by some Political Arithmetician, that, if every Man and Woman would work for four Hours each Day on something useful, that Labour would produce sufficient to procure all the Necessaries and Comforts of Life, Want and Misery would be banished out of the World, and the rest of the 24 hours might be Leisure and Pleasure. https://fs.blog/2016/06/ben-franklin-virtues-ills-luxury/
For Weber, what is class? how is it related to Marx's definition of class?
marx's main argument is that class is determined by economic factors alone, whereas in contrast, Weber argues that social stratification cannot be defined solely in terms of classand the economic factors which affect class relationships.
What is Luther's conception of "The Calling" and Calvin's of Predestination?
more specifically, Luther adopts the doctrine of predestination, specifically predestinedsalvation, stating that the "word of God" is the one of "salvation," while denying to human merits or works any role in this matter.
Be really familiar with who narrow specialists without mind are, and pleasure seekers without heart. Why do such people imagine themselves to be greater than anyone else ever born?
narrow specialists without mind, pleasure-seekers without heart; in its conceit, this nothingness imagines it has climbed to a level of humanity never before attained http://www.ethnography.com/2019/01/discipline-and-modern-society-something-about-max-weber-and-well-paid-development-bureaucrats/
the role of Marianne Weber in his life
on August 2, 1870, Marianne Weber, sociologist, women's rights activist and wife of sociologist Max Weber was born [4]. Weber is known for her book "Wife and Mother in the Development of Law", where she compiled the legal, economic, and social status of women from antiquity until her present time. http://scihi.org/marianne-weber/
How do political parties seek power?
parties exaggerate to get what they want, they use charisma to control government through the winning of elections and the holding of public office
What is the difference between politically appointed civil servants, and technocratic appointed civil servants, and what does "at will" appointment mean for a power relationship?
politically: the civil service is a collective term for a sector of government composed mainly of career civil servants hired on professional merit rather than appointed or elected, whose institutional tenure typically survives transitions of political leadership technocratic: a government in which elected officials appoint experts and professionals to administer individual government functions and recommend legislation can be considered technocratic.
What is the role of ascetism in the protestant ethic, and also the spirit of capitalism?
the religious asceticism also gave the businessmen industrious workers, and assured him that inequality was part of God's design. Thus, one of the major elements of the spirit of modern capitalism, rational conduct based on the idea of a calling, was "born" from the spirit of Christian asceticism. https://www.sparknotes.com/philosophy/protestantethic/section7/
According to Weber, what is a political party?
the sociologist Max Weber formulated a three-component theory of stratification in which he defined party class as a group of people (part of a society) that can be differentiated on the basis of their affiliations with other engaged members in the political domain.
How does Benjamin Franklin fit into Weber's description of "The Protestant Ethic?" What does Franklin think about the purpose of life and business?
weber argues that a capitalistic economic system depends on the unnatural inclination of the workers to increase their productivity. https://www.cliffsnotes.com/literature/a/the-autobiography-of-benjamin-franklin/critical-essays/franklin-and-the-spirit-of-capitalism
Which "house" do class, staende, parties belong to?
whereas the genuine place of "classes" is within the economic order, the place of "status groups" is within the social order, that is, within the sphere of the distribution of "honor." From within these spheres, classes and status groups influence one another and they influence the legal order and are in turn influenced by it. But "parties" live in a house of "power."
Gesellschaft
a type of society that is dominated by impersonal relationships, individual accomplishments, and self-interest
Herrschaft (Politics as Vocation)
Domination: Weber defines domination "as the probability that certain specific commands (or all commands) will be obeyed by a given group of persons" (Weber, p. 212). Features associated with domination are obedience, interest, belief, and regularity
Gesinnungsethik (Politics as Vocation)
Ethics of morality/mind: this is what I will do this is what I will not do. ex. if my child is starving I will not steal to save them https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/morality-definition/
Verantwortungethik (Politics as Vocation)
Ethics of responsibility: The ethic of responsibility acknowledges value. obligations, but assumes the absence of any given hierarchy of values and. the inevitability of value conflict as the context for moralendeavor. When. interpreted in the context of his multilayered understanding of value. Temptations created by vanity. ex. If my child is starving I will steal to save them.
What does Weber think of Marx's definition of false consciousness?
"false consciousness" is a concept derived from Marxist theory of social class. The concept refers to the systematic misrepresentation of dominant social relations in the consciousness of subordinate classes. Marx himself did not use the phrase "false consciousness," but he paid extensive attention to the related concepts of ideology and commodity fetishism.
What are rationalized orders, and what is needed to have them received and executed in a predictable fashion? Why is that important to modern society?
"Rational order" is a manmade order that is made in an objective and natural law abiding way. It is the only order that can lead intelligent life to endless future by connecting them from natural process into an open process. Natural law defines that at the "point of intelligence", this intelligent life much use their rationality ability to adopt rational order to connect themselves into a rational process to reach future. Marx and Engels associated the emergence of modern society above all with the development of capitalism; for Durkheim it was connected in particular with industrialization and the new social division of labour which this brought about; for Weber it had to do with the emergence of a distinctive way of thinking, the rational calculation which he associated with the Protestant Ethic.
Where does Weber propose the modern discipline of the factory workforce emerge out of?
Factory workers military disciple of the romans and middle ages that is the discipline that we have in the factory, part of are larger culture Prominent sociologist Max Weber established a sociology department in Germany at the Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich in 1919. Weber wrote on many topics related to sociology including political change in Russia and social forces that affect factory workers. He is known best for his 1904 book, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. The theory that Weber sets forth in this book is still controversial. Some believe that Weber argued that the beliefs of many Protestants, especially Calvinists, led to the creation of capitalism. Others interpret it as simply claiming that the ideologies of capitalism and Protestantism are complementary.
Who was Max Weber?
German social scientist who was concerned about changes brought about by the Industrial revolution Gave a lot of advice Died in the Flu epidemic
Why Is The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism considered important to the discipline of Sociology
German sociologist Max Weber, in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism(1904-05), held that the Protestant ethic was an important factor in the economic success of Protestant groups in the early stages of European capitalism; because worldly success could be interpreted as a sign of eternal salvation. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Protestant-Ethic-and-the-Spirit-of-Capitalism
What is Gesinnungsethik, and how is in tension with Verantwortungsethik?
Gesinnungsethik and Verantwortungsethik are household words in Germany and they relate to the moral tension between idealism and pragmatism. Gesinnungsethik refers to the "ethic of conviction" and Verantwortungsethik to the "ethic of responsibility". Are we fully responsible for the consequences of our actions ? Or is it enough to act with good intentions and a pure heart regardless of the outcome ?
When Weber writes of the tension in politics between the demon of politics and call to love (pp. 194-195) is he writing as a dialectician, or as a pragmatic Aristotlean (like Jennifer)?
He is a dialectician We can isolate a problem then look bad and try to understand it better. We see a problem and figure out what is relevant. What is not once we understand it we can fix it.
Why are the Hindu Upanishads important to Weber's writing about "the calling to vocation?"
Holy book of hinduism india the caste system is spelt out why they should be kept separate highly ranked caste system each of those have rules and ethics they must follow each profession have there own heaven. In the modern world this is viewed as unfair weber says it is a coherent systems. https://newserv.the-eye.eu/public/Books/ebook-dl.com/Business%20%26%20Money/Job%20Hunting%20%26%20Careers/Connections%20Between%20Spirit%20and%20Work%20in%20Career%20Development%20New%20Approaches%20and%20Practical%20Perspectives%201st%20Edition%20%289780891061052%2C%201997%29/9780891061052%281%29.pdf
More on Benjamin Franklin
If someone strikes you according to Jesus you turn the other cheek; can a politician do that: no there representing society, that would only work if you are ruling of perfect people. This is the power you should have according to Weber but a politician can not have this. Only goodness comes good and evil comes from evil= a lot of karma weber says that's garbage it does not work that way you can see good people who get evil and evil people who get good Ben franklin on 100 bill he said time is money but it is not time is what you have on this earth Biological rhythm time is money Invest time invest in yourself Time spent in pleasure will make you poorer time lost how much money do you waste going out having fun instead of investing it and putting it in the bank Time can be wasted or spent well time is money You should feel guilty for wasting time and not making money
What are the three principles justifying the legitimacy for political dominion (Herrschaft)?
Legal authority is based on a system of rules that is applied administratively and judicially in accordance with known principles. The persons who administer those rules are appointed or elected by legal procedures. Superiors are also subject to rules that limit their powers, separate their private lives from official duties and require written documentation. Traditional authority is based on a system in which authority is legitimate because it "has always existed". People in power usually enjoy it because they have inherited it. Officials consist either of personal retainers (in a patrimonial regime) or of personal loyal allies, such as vassals or tributary lords (in a feudal regime). Their prerogatives are usually similar to those of the ruler above them, just reduced in scale, and they too are often selected based on inheritance. Charismatic authority is based on the charisma of the leader, who shows that he possesses the right to lead by virtue of magical powers, prophecies, heroism, etc. His followers respect his right to lead because of his unique qualities (his charisma), not because of any tradition or legal rules. Officials consist of those who have shown personal devotion to the ruler, and of those who possess their own charisma.
Who was Trotsky, and what point does he make about what it is that goes into defining a state/government?
Leon Trotsky, byname of Lev Davidovich Bronshtein, (born November 7 [October 26, Old Style], 1879, Yanovka, Ukraine, Russian Empire—died August 21, 1940, Coyoacán, Mexico), communist theorist and agitator, a leader in Russia's October Revolution in 1917, and later commissar of foreign affairs and of war in the Soviet Union (1917-24). In the struggle for power following Vladimir Ilich Lenin's death, however, Joseph Stalin emerged as victor, while Trotsky was removed from all positions of power and later exiled (1929). He remained the leader of an anti-Stalinist opposition abroad until his assassination by a Stalinist agent.
Know about Max Weber's life, where he was born, and the context in which he wrote his essays. E.g. know about the relationship between Weber's relationship to depression and the United States for PESC, and World War I for "Politics as Vocation."
Maximilian Karl Emil Weber German April 1864 - 14 June 1920) was a German sociologist, historian, jurist, and political economist, who is regarded among the most important theorists on the development of modern Western society. His ideas would profoundly influence social theory and social research.Despite being recognized as one of the fathers of sociology, along with Auguste Comte and Émile Durkheim, Weber never saw himself as a sociologist, but as a historian. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Weber
What is charisma?
Quality that few people have that means others want to follow them and do what is told by them. A quality given to people believed by their followers to have special powers https://www.researchgate.net/publication/305233163_Discipline_and_Charisma
Stand/Staende
Staende are the groups we form in which we have loyalty to others in the same group, to whom we are loyal, and share a way of life. ex. ethic groups, precessions. nationality you can not buy or sell these relationships. You can not sell your citizenships.
What happens to the biological and psychological nature of humans in the modern work force?
The biopsychosocial model states that biological, psychological, and social factors all play a significant role in human development in the modern work force. developmental psychology seeks to understand the influence of genetics (nature) and environment (nurture) on human development.
For whom and why are 'messiah figures' important to Staende?
a saviour or liberator of a group of people. The concepts of mashiach, messianism, and of a Messianic Age originated in Judaism, and in the Hebrew Bible, in which a mashiachis a king or High Priest traditionally anointed with holy anointing oil.
Gemeinschaft
a type of society in which life is intimate; a community in which everyone knows everyone else and people share a sense of togetherness
Fuehrer ( Comes up in Discipline and Charisma, and Politics as Vocation)
Title taken by Hitler, German word for ruthless, tyrannical leader.
Classes, Staende, Parties
Weber argued that power can take a variety of forms. A person's power can be shown in the social order through their status, in the economic order through their class, and in the political order through their party. Thus, class, status and party are each aspects of the distribution of power within a community. House of the Market/Economy= class House of Honor= Staende House of Power= Party The values that hold people together Each market you have inequality, one that owns thing/has more power a certain clever author= Marx's (classes can not know there own self interest) Weber does not believe in this Ethnic Group: Believe they are related by blood. Cast System: if you are African American you are a slave, if you are white you are not (this was abolished) Subordinated Groups: often looking towards the future and not the past. waiting for the messiah. dreams of being free. Dominant group is about the past
Marx Weber Social Theory
Weber believed that modern societies were obsessed with efficiency modernizing and getting things done, such that questions of ethics, affection and tradition were brushed to one side this has the consequence of making people miserable and leading to enormous social problems.
How does Max Weber version of Sociology compare to Marx/Engels?
Weber's theory of class differs partly to Marx's theory: it includes stratification along the lines of status and party: difference: Weber identifies 4 main classes. Everything goes back to what is the means of production.
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
a book written by Max Weber, a German sociologist, economist, and politician. Begun as a series of essays, the original German text was composed in 1904 and 1905, and was translated into English for the first time by American sociologist Talcott Parsons in 1930.[1] It is considered a founding text in economic sociology and a milestone contribution to sociological thought in general.
