Max Weber: An Introduction to His Life and Work has established itself as the standard short introduction in German to the work of Max Weber, and appears here for the first time in English translation. Sociologist Dirk Käsler has a profound sense of Weber's writings, yet manages to make Weber's ideas accessible to the beginner.

Käsler offers a comprehensive account of Weber's views, giving attention both to the context in which Weber produced his most significant contributions to social science, and to the changes involved in his work over the course of his career. This volume also serves as an introduction to the controversies that Weber's writings have stimulated, from the time of their first appearance to the present day.

This book will be of vital interest to anyone concerned with Max Weber and will undoubtedly become the leading student text on Weber in the English-speaking world.

Introduction

Acknowledgements

Note on abbreviations

1. Life

2. Early writings

The origin and effects of modern capitalism

The decline of the Roman empire

East, West and modern capitalism

'Urban sociology'

Citizenship, competition and capitalism

3. Social change in German society

The agricultural workers

The stock exchange

The industrial workers

4. The sociology of religion

The cultural significance of Protestantism

'The Economic Ethic of the World Religions'

5. Economy and Society

Sociology of law

'General Sociology'

Economic sociology

Sociology of domination

Sociology of music

6. Methodological writings

The concept of Verstehen or 'understanding'

The concept of the 'ideal-type'

The postulate of 'freedom from value-judgement'

(Werturteilsfreiheit)

7. The reception of Weber's work during his lifetime

8. Weber's importance for sociology today and in the future

Notes

Bibliography

Works by Weber available in English

Guide to the secondary literature in English

Weber's works in German

The Max Weber Collected Edition

Index