Max Weber: Summarized Classics: SUMMARIZED CLASSICS

By MAURICIO ENRIQUE FAU

The greatest thinkers of humanity at your fingertips, in minutes! 
If you thought you would never be able to understand the essential classic authors, you were wrong! 
With our "Summarized Classics" collection, you will understand the main ideas of the most important thinkers in a very short time and with little effort.

The present volume covers the central axes of this discipline.
Among them, the reader will find an analysis of the following: The work develops the historical context in which Weber wrote. Later, we have summarized the essentials of the following texts: Economy and society (1920), chapters 1, 3 and 9 and "Classes, estates and parties, among others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BOOKS AND SUMMARIES BY MAURICIO FAU
• Release date: Oct 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201411022

MAURICIO ENRIQUE FAU

Mauricio Enrique Fau nació en Buenos Aires en 1965. Se recibió de Licenciado en Ciencia Política en la Universidad de Buenos Aires. Cursó también Derecho en la UBA y Periodismo en la Universidad de Morón. Realizó estudios en FLACSO Argentina. Docente de la UBA y AUTOR DE MÁS DE 3.000 RESÚMENES de Psicología, Sociología, Ciencia Política, Antropología, Derecho, Historia, Epistemología, Lógica, Filosofía, Economía, Semiología, Educación y demás disciplinas de las Ciencias Sociales. Desde 2005 dirige La Bisagra Editorial, especializada en técnicas de estudio y materiales que facilitan la transición desde la escuela secundaria a la universidad. Por intermedio de La Bisagra publicó 38 libros. Participa en diversas ferias del libro, entre ellas la Feria Internacional del Libro de Buenos Aires y la FIL Guadalajara.

Book preview

ECONOMY AND SOCIETY

CHAPTER 1 

SOCIAL ACTION is guided by the actions of others (determined individuals or not), whether past, present or future.

Not every action is social: for example, external action in reference to material objects (taking an object in one's hands), religious behavior, etc., is not social. Not every contact between men has a SOCIAL character, but ONLY WHEN IT IS AN ACTION WITH ITS OWN MEANING DIRECTED TO THE ACTION OF OTHERS, i.e. when the actor gives a meaning to his action, and expects another to grasp that meaning; for example, a collision of two cyclists is not a social action, but an event. If they were fighting over the collision, then there would be social action. Social action is neither a homogeneous action of many (if everyone opens the umbrella, it is not because of the action of others, but to cover themselves from the rain), nor the action of someone influenced by the behavior of others (action conditioned by the mass without meaningful relation).

§2-

Weber: types of SOCIAL ACTION

›  RATIONAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH ENDS, taking into account the behavior of objects and other people in the outside world: to go to Chacarita (end) take bus 71 (means)

›  VALUE-DRIVEN RATIONAL, oriented by the conscious belief in the value of certain behavior, unrelated to its meaning: praying

›  AFFECTIVE, oriented by feelings: kissing, assaulting, etc.

›  TRADITIONAL, by habit: always sitting at the table in the same chair.

Rational action with respect to ends is the most rational.

Traditional action, together with reactive imitation, is at the limit of meaningful action. Affective action and rational action with respect to values differ from each other because the latter consciously elaborates the ultimate goals of the action

Rational action with respect to values differs from affective action in that the former is conscious and is similar in that in both the meaning of the action does not lie in the result, but in the action itself (the ends are the means).

The one who satisfies his impulses of revenge, enjoyment and in general, the one who gives free rein to his passions, acts in an affective way.

He acts in a rational way with respect to values who does not measure the consequences, acting according to duty, beauty, dignity, piety, etc., according to a requirement directed towards the subject.

He acts rationally with respect to ends who orients his action according to the end, the means and the consequences. Man acts by combining different methods.

§3-

SOCIAL RELATIONSHIP is a behavior of several that, because of the meaning they give it, contains reciprocity. The social relation consists in the probability that someone acts socially in a certain way (with meaning), because it is the usual thing in that society. The content can be diverse: conflict, enmity, love, pity, etc.

It is a matter of INTENTIONED CONDUCT even in the case of categories such as the State. A State ceases to exist sociologically if social actions endowed with meaning by individuals disappear.

§4-

The intentions of the actors in a social relationship may differ, and the latter may be stable or ephemeral, unique or reiterated, etc. Stable uses are transformed into customs, whereas we must speak of a situation of interests when a certain behavior is based on a rational orientation of action.

In action, especially in social action, and in the social relationship, its participants can orient themselves in the representation of the existence of a LEGITIMATE ORDER. Validity of an order that is based not only on custom or interests, but on the inner conviction of the individual.

There is ORDER when the action is oriented by norms, while there is VALIDITY when the effective orientation by these norms occurs because the individual interprets that they are valid for his action, that they serve as models of behavior. When the thief conceals his action he is also acting in reference to the validity (of the law), because he knows that his conduct is in violation of the norm.

The LEGITIMACY OF AN ORDER can be guaranteed by: sentimental, rational adherence to values (moral, aesthetic, etc.), religious belief.

There is CONVENTION when an order is based on the consensus of individuals, whereas there is only RIGHT if the order is based on the mere external force of physical coercion.

Those who act socially can grant legitimate validity to a given order: by TRADITION (validity of what has always existed), by an AFFECTIVE BELIEF (emotional), by RATIONAL BELIEF REGARDING VALUES (validity of what is believed to be valuable) or by WHAT IS POSITIVELY ESTABLISHED (validity of laws).

Examples:

›  Traditional: to obey for fear of certain magical damages.

›  Rational according to values: abide by natural law

›  Rational-legal: respecting formally sanctioned laws.

›  Affective: admiration for the ruler

A social relationship is one of STRUGGLE when the action is oriented to submit to the will of another, who resists it.

PACIFIC are the means of struggle where effective physical violence is not exercised.

The peaceful struggle is called COMPETITION, and there is REGULATED COMPETITION when it is oriented, in its means and ends, by a given order.

SELECTION is the process by which some survive and others do not in this competition. This selection is social or biological. Sometimes in this selection those who have more strength triumph, others those who have more cunning, etc. Different elements will weigh in each struggle. Selection is eternal.

COMMUNITY is a social relationship where the social action of individuals is inspired by the subjective feeling (affective or traditional) of integrating a whole.

There is ASSOCIATION when what motivates social action are the rational interests (of ends or values) of the individual. If it is according to values, what counts is the belief in one's own bond, while if it is according to ends, the loyalty of the other party counts.

The social relationship is OPEN to the outside if participation in the social action is free, while otherwise it is CLOSED.

A closed social relation assures its members the enjoyment of monopolized opportunities: a) freely, b) regularly, c) by permanent appropriation. Appropriation may be vested in all members of communities or societies or in some individuals (personal or hereditary, and the possibility of ceding this property, which is called free property, is also contemplated).

A social relationship based on a traditional order can have the following consequences: a) that every action of each member is imputed to the others (SOLIDARITY), b) that the action of one member is imputed to the others (REPRESENTATION).

An ASSOCIATION is a social relationship characterized by limiting regulation towards the outside, in the event that the preservation of its order is ensured by the conduct of certain individuals: a leader and an administrative staff.

An association can be autonomous or heteronomous (imposed from outside the association). In