Max Weber and the Theory of Modern Politics (eBook)

David Beetham (Autor)

eBook Download: PDF

2018
John Wiley & Sons (Verlag)
9780745676623 (ISBN)

Infos

Max Weber's writings on the politics of Wilhelmine in Germany and the Russian revolutions of 1905 and 1917 are much less well known than his contributions to historical and theoretical sociology, yet they are essential to any overall assessment of his thought. Drawing on these writings, still mostly untranslated, David Beetham offers the most comprehensive account available in English of Weber's political theory.

The book explores Weber's central concern with the prospects for liberal Parliamentarism in authoritarian societies and in an age of mass politics and bureaucratic organization, and shows how this concern led him to a revision of democratic theory which is still influential. It argues that Weber's analyzis of the class basis of contemporary politics necessitate a modification in some of the accepted interpretations of his sociology of modern capitalism. A special feature of the book is its full treatment of the extensive German literature on Weber's political thought.

This second edition contains a substantial new critical introduction and an expanded bibliography. Otherwise the text of the widely acclaimed first edition remains unaltered. This is a book which adds an essential dimension to the understanding of Max Weber for students of sociology and politics who have previously only approached his work through his sociological writings.

David Beetham is a Professor of Politics at Leeds University. He is the author of Marxists in Face of Fascism and an expert on modern European social and political theory.

Inhalt

Cover 1
Half-Title Page 3
Title Page 5
Copyright Page 6
Contents 7
Acknowledgements 9
Abbreviations 11
Introduction to the Second Edition 13
THE REVISION OF LIBERAL PARLIAMENTARISM 15
THE CRITIQUE OF SOCIALISM 19
REFERENCES 24
Chapter 1. Max Weber as Political Theorist 25
WEBER'S POLITICAL WRITINGS 29
POLITICS AND THEORY 34
POLITICS AND ACADEMIC SOCIOLOGY 37
REFERENCES 43
Chapter 2. Weber as Protagonist of Bourgeois Values 48
ECONOMIC CHANGE AND THE NATIONAL INTEREST 48
FREEDOM AND THE RUSSIAN REVOLUTION 56
BUREAUCRACY AND POLITICAL LEADERSHIP IN WARTIME GERMANY 61
WEBER AS A THEORIST OF BOURGEOIS POLITICS 67
REFERENCES 71
Chapter 3. The Limits of Bureaucratic Rationality 75
THE IRRESISTIBLE ADVANCE OF BUREAUCRATIC ADMINISTRATION 79
BUREAUCRACY AS A POWER GROUP 84
BUREAUCRACY AS A STATUS STRATUM 91
SOCIALISM, STAGNATION AND SLAVERY 94
REFERENCES 101
Chapter 4. Parliament and Democracy 107
PARLIAMENT AS A TRAINING GROUND FOR POLITICAL LEADERSHIP 108
MASS DEMOCRACY AND ELITES 114
PARLIAMENT AS A PROTECTOR OF LIBERTY 125
REFERENCES 128
Chapter 5. Nationalism and the Nation State 131
THE CONCEPT OF THE NATION 133
GERMANY AS A 'MACHTSTAAT' 143
The 1890s and imperialism 146
Germany's Tasks in the First World War 150
NATIONALISM AND THE PROLETARIAT 156
REFERENCES 159
Chapter 6. Society, Class and State: Germany 163
THE SOCIAL BASIS OF THE AUTHORITARIAN STATE 164
The Junkers 164
The bourgeoisie 169
The proletariat and social democracy 173
A STRATEGY FOR BOURGEOIS DEMOCRACY 176
WAR AND REVOLUTION 182
POLITICS AND CLASS 189
REFERENCES 191
Chapter 7. Society, Class and State: Russia 195
THE OUTLOOK FOR BOURGEOIS DEMOCRACY 196
THE PATHOLOGY OF ABSOLUTISM 204
REVOLUTION AND BOLSHEVISM 210
THE CONDITIONS FOR LIBERAL DEMOCRACY 215
REFERENCES 222
Chapter 8. Class Society and Plebiscitary Leadership 227
POLITICS IN CAPITALIST SOCIETY 230
THE PLEBISCITARY LEADER 238
MAX WEBER AND THE THEORY OF BOURGEOIS POLITICS 252
REFERENCES 257
Chapter 9. Social Science and Political Practice 262
PRACTICAL ANALYSIS AND HISTORICAL SOCIOLOGY 264
SOCIAL SCIENCE AS IDEOLOGY 273
Democracy 276
Capitalism 281
REFERENCES 288
Bibliography 292
Index 299
EULA 302

Rezensionen

'The outstanding work on Weber's political ideas.' Frank
Parkin

'A very reliable guide through the controversial political
philosopy of Max Weber ... impressive for its thoroughness.'
Wolfgang Mommsen

'An excellent study.' Steven Lukes, New Society

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 11.7.2018
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Politik / Verwaltung ► Politische Theorie
• Themenwelt: Sozialwissenschaften ► Soziologie ► Allgemeine Soziologie
• Schlagworte: Account • Age • available • Beetham • Book • Central • David • English • Essential • Explores • Germany • Gesellschaftstheorie • LESS • liberal parliamentarism • Max • overall • Political Philosophy & Theory • Political Science • political theory • Politics • Politikwissenschaft • Politische Philosophie u. Politiktheorie • revolutions • Social Theory • Sociology • Soziologie • Thought • webers • Wilhelmine • Writings
• ISBN-13: 9780745676623 / 9780745676623