The Fate of Law and Modern People: An Introduction to the Study of Max Weber's Legal Thought

Author: Zheng Ge
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-03-01
Features: This book places Weber's theory within the broader context of Western legal traditions. It first analyzes the influence of Weber's systematic legal education on his approach to and solutions for problems, clarifying the relationship between law and the social sciences in the process. The author reveals the uniqueness of legal research methods and explains the intellectual motivations behind Weber's decision to abandon his legal professional perspective in favor of social science research methods. Subsequently, the author examines the substantive legal content within Weber's social theory. Previous scholars of Weber's legal thought have primarily focused on the "sociology of law" section in Economy and Society. This book systematically studies Weber's legal analysis as presented in his sociology of religion, political sociology, and sociology of economy, discussing the relationships between law, morality, religion, economy, politics, and culture in Weber's thought. Thus, it provides readers with a comprehensive picture of Weber's legal thought. In this picture, the ways in which law influences social action are clearly discernible, and the challenges China has encountered or may face in building a "rule of law society" are subtly reflected in the background.