The Golem Narrative in Max Weber's Work

Abstract

This paper provides a new metaphor for reading Weber's writings by exposing an underlying cultural pattern–the Golem narrative–and showing how it is reflected in Weber's work. We depict the Jewish story of the Golem and the German demonic version of the narrative as presented in the movie Der Golem. We analyze the structure of this story and distinguish three components in this cultural narrative: the will to be empowered; the use of a non-human material instrument to garner this power; culminating in the instrument developing an autonomous spirit, which fatefully makes it turn against the master, leading to personal and social destruction. We show how this narrative appears in Weber's conception of the role of spirits and gods in world history and moral life. We then provide two expanded examples of the way the narrative of the Golem unfolds in Weber's work: the rise of capitalism and his observations about charisma and its institutionalization.