Academic and political

Author: Weber
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: In the late 1980s of the 20th century, China's reform and opening-up were still in its early stages. While achieving significant successes, it also gave rise to many social problems. The situation faced by China's intellectual circles was somewhat similar to what Weber encountered with the German nation-state in the late 19th century. Weber described himself as an "economic nationalist" in terms of national interests and as someone who aspired to "make politics one's vocation" in national political life, acting according to the ethics of responsibility. Weber's unconventional insights, as well as his discussion of modern capitalism as a rational labor organization, may offer some inspiration for Chinese thinkers. This book includes Weber's two famous speeches: "Academia as a Vocation" and "Politics as a Vocation." These speeches were delivered in Munich, a hub of Germany's "new" culture under the shadow of war and revolution, shortly before Weber's death. They are among the most important documents of 20th-century thought. Weber synthesizes his academic, intellectual, moral, and political concerns throughout his life. Through comparative historical and sociological analysis, as well as critical reflection on moral value levels, he presents both harsh definitions and generous calls regarding the nature, conditions, and limitations of academic knowledge and political action. These works make readers profoundly aware of the difficulties faced by modern people and compel them to adopt an attitude of "heroic ethics" to grasp a sliver of hope for human dignity in the "ordinary work at hand."