Abstract

A theory of globalization cannot bypass the writings of the most important social scientist, Max Weber. As he mastered all the relevant disciplines, also philosophy, he advanced comparative theories about the major civilisations of the world, emphasizing the scope and range of the type of social action that he named “instrumental rationality”. He looked upon “modern capitalism” as the most advanced social system, based upon this type of action and inquired into its root in religion. Today, the global market economy has made “modern capitalism” or economic rationality universal. Yet, a major civilizational difference is to be found in the polities in the world, namely the extent to which they enforce rule of law, which – I argue – is the essence of Weber’s legal-rational authority. Keywords: Weber, “Sinnzusammenhaenge”, instrumental rationality, world religions, legal rational authority, Rechtsstaat.

Highlights

  • What has put Weber directly into the spotlight again is the dramatic rise of the new Islamic fundamentalism, in both theory and practice

  • Can we find a major social system property that separates between civilization legacies, if capitalism and rationality will not do?

  • It has started to appear in many Western countries with dire effects

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Summary

INTRODUCTION

What has put Weber directly into the spotlight again is the dramatic rise of the new Islamic fundamentalism, in both theory and practice. The literature on Max Weber is large, comprising several biographies and numerous interpretations (Bendix, 1992; Bendix and Roth, 1971; Ringer, 2004). All of his publications have been translated into English, the last ones being his major articles in the philosophy of science (Bruun and Wimsett, 2012). It seems that Weber did not make the crucial distinction between the constitutional democracy on the one hand and the modern authoritarian state on the hand. − Religion or civilization theme: Weber’s thesis may deal with the outcomes of religious beliefs or target the basic differences between the cultural civilisations of the world

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