Weber's Protestant Ethic

Author: (German) Hartmut Lehmann
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-03-01
Features: This book comprehensively reflects the research achievements of Western and European scholars on Weber's proposition to date, revealing some little-known or even unknown aspects of Weber's thought in terms of its theological, philosophical, political, and biographical background. It summarizes contemporary understandings of the historical basis of Weber's comprehensive theory and addresses methodological issues in assessing the vitality of this theory. Max Weber established an intrinsic connection between "Protestant Ethics" and "the Spirit of Capitalism." Since the publication of "Protestant Ethics and the Spirit of Capitalism" between 1904 and 1905, his famous proposition has been a subject of intense discussion in Western and European academia. For nearly a century, historians, Weber biographers, and religious sociologists have conducted relentless research on the same text from their respective perspectives. Interpretations and conclusions drawn by European scholars and American scholars have often differed significantly, with American Weber scholars forming a distinct tradition since the 1920s. In May 1990, scholars from both sides of the Atlantic held a conference in Washington, D.C., which led to the creation of this collection. The volume includes contributions from 18 scholars, nine from Europe and nine from the United States; among these, half are historians and half are sociologists. This collection comparatively reflects the research achievements of Western and European scholars on Weber's proposition to date, revealing some little-known or even unknown aspects of Weber's thought in terms of its theological, philosophical, political, and biographical background. It summarizes contemporary understandings of the historical basis of Weber's comprehensive theory and addresses methodological issues in assessing the vitality of this theory.