![]() ![]() ![]() Weber introduced three independent factors that form his theory of stratification hierarchy: class, status, and power. Many wealthy families lacked prestige and power, for example, because they were Jewish. He noted that, contrary to Marx’s theories, stratification was based on more than ownership of capital. Weber examined how many members of the aristocracy lacked economic wealth, yet had strong political power. Working half a century later than Marx, Weber derived many of his key concepts on social stratification by examining the social structure of Germany. Weber’s theory more closely resembles theories of modern Western class structures embraced by sociologists, although economic status does not seem to depend strictly on earnings in the way Weber envisioned. Weber claimed there are four main classes: the upper class, the white-collar workers, the petite bourgeoisie, and the manual working class. Weber supposed there were more class divisions than Marx suggested, taking different concepts from both functionalist and Marxist theories to create his own system. Instead, he developed the three-component theory of stratification and the concept of life chances. Weber criticized the dialectical presumption of proletariat revolt, believing it to be unlikely. class: A person’s economic position in society, based on birth and individual achievement.Ĭlassic sociologist Max Weber was strongly influenced by Marx’s ideas, but rejected the possibility of effective communism, arguing that it would require an even greater level of detrimental social control and bureaucratization than capitalist society.status: A person’s social position or standing relative to that of others.power: The ability to get one’s way even in the face of opposition to one’s goals.This intellectual giant, suffering from deep tensions caused by his relationships with his family, and by the oppressive political atmosphere, was finally limited by circumstance in how much truth he could uncover.\) Weber's last words were reported to be: "The Truth is the Truth". In many ways the twentieth century fulfilled his deepest fears, yet it also saw the birth of incredible development in all areas of human life. He saw the future world as one without feeling, passion, or commitment, unmoved by personal appeal and personal fealty, by grace and by the ethics of charismatic heroes. Weber regarded the world of modernity as having been deserted by the gods, because man had chased them away - rationalization had replaced mysticism. Although he repeatedly entered the political arena, he was not truly a political man, one who is able to make compromises in the pursuit of his aims (according to Weber's own definition). ![]() Weber was fiercely independent, refusing to bend to any ideological line. However, he also observed that once capitalism became divorced from its religious sentiment, it developed into a secular ethic with "inexorable power," leading him to denigrate capitalists as "specialists without spirit, sensualists without heart". According to Weber, the anxiety and inner loneliness resulting from the Calvinist doctrine of predestination created an all-consuming, driving force in the minds of believers, compelling them to essentially enslave themselves with materialistic pursuit while simultaneously creating an unprecedented increase in economic development. He concluded that the capitalist spirit was born more from psychological tensions that Calvinist theological obligations tended to create in the minds of the faithful, than as a result of pure religious devotion. His insights and understanding concerning the weaknesses of capitalism have also had long-lasting impact. His analysis of the spiritual and moral conditions for successful economic productivity continues to be a source of inspiration to modern social scientists and other thinkers. Through his celebrated work, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Max Weber was one of the first scholars to emphasize the moral and spiritual dimensions of economic behavior. His study of the sociology of religion allowed for a new level of cross-cultural understanding and investigation. This approach analyzes the basic elements of social institutions and examines how these elements relate to one another. He developed the notion of "ideal types," which were examples of situations in history that could be used as reference points to compare and contrast different societies. Weber's sociological theories had a great impact on twentieth-century sociology. ![]()
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