Weber s Rationalism and Modern Society

Weber s Rationalism and Modern Society

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Weber s Rationalism and Modern Society New Translations on Politics, Bureaucracy, and Social Stratification Edited and Translated by Tony Waters and Dagmar Waters

WEBER S RATIONALISM AND MODERN SOCIETY Copyright Tony Waters and Dagmar Waters, 2015. Softcover reprint of the hardcover 1st edition 2015 978-1-137-37353-3 All rights reserved. First published in 2015 by PALGRAVE MACMILLAN in the United States a division of St. Martin s Press LLC, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010. Where this book is distributed in the UK, Europe and the rest of the world, this is by Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited, registered in England, company number 785998, of Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 6XS. Palgrave Macmillan is the global academic imprint of the above companies and has companies and representatives throughout the world. Palgrave and Macmillan are registered trademarks in the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe and other countries. ISBN 978-1-349-47664-0 ISBN 978-1-137-36586-6 (ebook) DOI 10.1057/9781137365866 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Waters, Tony. Weber s rationalism and modern society : new translations on politics, bureaucracy, and social stratification / edited by Tony Waters, Dagmar Waters. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. 1. Sociology History. 2. Economics. 3. Weber, Max, 1864 1920 Political and social views. I. Waters, Tony. II. Waters, Dagmar. III. Title. HM435.W38 2015 301 dc23 2014037608 A catalogue record of the book is available from the British Library. Design by Newgen Knowledge Works (P) Ltd., Chennai, India. First edition: April 2015 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

CONTENTS Acknowledgments vii One Max Weber s Sociology in the Twenty-first Century 1 Two Max Weber s Writing as a Product of World War I Europe 19 Three Translation Notes Special Highlighted Terms in Weber s Sociological Writings 29 Four The Distribution of Power Within the Gemeinschaft: Classes, Stände, Parties, by Max Weber 37 Five Discipline and Charisma, by Max Weber 59 Six Bureaucracy, by Max Weber 73 Seven Politics as Vocation, by Max Weber 129 Notes 199 Bibliography 221 Index 225

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS First acknowledgments are to the people who first introduced us to Max Weber. For Dagmar that was her father Kurt Kaletsch, and for Tony it was Professors David Plotke and John Hall from University of California, Davis. Translation work began at Zeppelin University in Friedrichshafen, Germany, in 2007 2008 in an Academic English class in their Cultural Communication Management (CCM) program where we first translated Weber s Klassen, Stände, Parteien. John Hall introduced Tony to that essay, and it has been a key part of his teaching and scholarship ever since (see e.g., Waters 1995, 2005, 2009). The students in that seminar at Zeppelin University who were key to getting the translation started are acknowledged in that essay. The faculty at Zeppelin University who facilitated our stay there included, among others, Professor Gertraud Koch, Dr. Gary Anderson, Professor Nico Stehr, Professor Dirk Baecker, and Professor Stephan Jansen. We are grateful to the Journal of Classical Sociology for publishing this translation in 2010. Our success with this publication convinced us that there was indeed more room for Weber retranslation. The final translation of this work was undertaken at Leuphana University, Lüneburg, Germany, in 2013, in a seminar specifically focused on translating these essays. The students in this class are acknowledged on the respective three essays that they assisted with translating. This class was undertaken with the assistance of Professor Günter Burkart. At Zeppelin University, the ideas and thoughts of these students contributed a great deal to our understandings of Weber s thoughts, and the nature of both German and English languages. As an approach to the difficulties in translations, we can very highly recommend such a course.

viii Acknowledgments Professor Burkart and Professor Dominik Schrage also provided much formal and informal advice about the pitfalls of German to English translation. Professor Schrage s knowledge of European feudalism, and breadth of etymological sensitivity in (at a minimum) French, German, and English led us to a deeper understanding which permeate this manuscript. Others in Lüneburg who provided ideas and thoughts include Yvonne Förster-Beuthan Volker Kirchberg, Lynette Kirschner, Isabell May, Tanja Müller, and many others who we pestered with questions and for ideas. Benjamin Elbers took an especially strong interest in the work on this translation, and spent many many hours translating, editing, and assisting with the translations of this book. His grasp of English, German, and Latin philology contributed a great deal to the quality of not only the translations but also the introductory chapters, one to three. Besides the work he did in Germany, he spent three weeks in California in 2014 helping to finalize the translations. Many of the endnotes in the chapters are included at his suggestion we especially appreciate the time he spent with the Collected Works of Max Weber found in the Leuphana University Library. Benjamin reveled in the fine points and difficulties with a good sense of humor and generosity of spirit! At California State University, Chico, which is our permanent academic home, a number of people need to be acknowledged. Professor Cynthia Siemsen first pointed out Discipline and Charisma is a key to understanding not only Weber s thoughts, but also those of Michel Foucault and, by implication, Pierre Bourdieu. We agree with her enthusiasm, and have included Discipline and Charisma as a result of her early advice. Professor Magda Mueller of Chico State assisted Dagmar with the translation of Discipline and Charisma, and later offered thoughts and ideas about the finer points of translation. She also attended seminars regarding Poltics as Vocation in both Chico and Lüneburg. Others at Chico State who we queried at various times included Rob Burton, Daniel Veidlinger, Laird Easton, Christine Goulding, Nic Janos, Bill Rich, and Joel Zimbelman. Josie Smith edited the entire manuscript very capably, and in the process enthusiastically contributed ideas and thoughts about how to develop the ideas. Our children Christopher and Kirsten Waters know more of Max Weber than they would care to admit. We think that, for better or for worse, they have spent most of their lives aware of his presence. Nevertheless, Chris even came through with a translation of Weber s essay War Guilt, which is referred to in chapter 3.

Acknowledgments ix Gene and Mary Long of Phrae, Thailand, also deserve a special thanks for their insight into the matters Weber raises about politics, society, and bureaucracy. They offer this insight from the unusual vantage point of having dealt with Thai bureaucracies for 30-plus years, while working with the hunting and gathering Mla Bri of Phrae. It was at their house that the final touches on this book were completed.