Unjust Dominance—Urban Typology

Author: Weber
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-03-01
Features: Modern society is a "civil society," and the concept of "citizenship" is closely intertwined with that of "citizens" in Western historiography. In the development of Western civil society, the emergence of urban communities, in Weber's view, undoubtedly represents a critical turning point. However, the formation of this community was built upon a break from traditional constraints—such as the bonds of lineage and foreign political domination. Weber uses the term "illegitimate domination" to describe Western cities precisely to highlight the autonomy of their dominant power and the "usurpative" nature of its detachment from tradition. The development of such a civil society is essential background knowledge for readers seeking to understand modern citizenship. This book was originally the 7th section of Chapter 9, "Sociology of Domination," in Weber's Economy and Society, Volume 2. The original title was: "Illegitimate Domination (Typology of the City)," in contrast to the preceding six sections that discussed "Legitimate Domination." Due to length constraints, the first six sections were included in Sociology of Domination, while this section stands alone as the present book.