In this volume, Mr Runciman has selected extracts, from Max Weber’s writings which reflect the full range of his major concerns: the nature of domination in human society, the role of ideas in history, the social determinants of religion, the origin and impact of industrial capitalism and the scope and limits of social science itself. He has also included some shorter extracts from Weber’s less familiar writings on such diverse topics as the stock exchange and the history of the piano.

A selection of Weber's writings newly translated with critical introductions for the student.

Selected extracts from Max Weber??'s writings which reflect the full range of his concerns.

Preface; Publisher’s note; Biographical summary; Part I. The Foundations of Social Theory: Introduction; 1. The nature of social action; 2. Basic categories of social organisation; 3. Classes, status groups and parties; Part II. The Methodology of the Social Sciences: Introduction; 4. Value-judgements in social science; 5. The concept of ‘following a rule’; 6. The logic of historical explanation; Part III. Ideology: Introduction; 7. Protestant asceticism and the spirit of capitalism; 8. The soteriology of the underprivileged; 9. The religions of Asia; Part IV. Politics: Introduction; 10. Politics as a vocation; 11. The nature of charismatic domination; 12. Socialism; 13. Economic policy and the national interest in imperial Germany; 14. The prospects for liberal democracy in Tsarist Russia; Part V. Economic and Social History: Introduction; 15. Urbanisation and social structure in the ancient world; 16. Government, kinship and capitalism in China; 17. The origins of industrial capitalism in Europe; 18. The development of bureaucracy and its relation to law; Part IV. Miscellaneous Topics: Introduction; 19. Race relations; 20. Industrial psychology; 21. The stock exchange; 22. The history of the piano; 23. Freudianism; 24. Sociology and biology; Index.