Unit Essay 2
Gracyn Troupe
Department of Sociology, Longwood University
SOCL 401: Sociological Theory
Dr. Scott Grether
October 15, 2023
Max Weber, along with many other sociological theorists, made great contributions to the science of sociology and is a very crucial figure in the development of modern world science. Max Weber was a German sociologist and philosopher whose work still remains to have a great influence on sociology, he was born in 1864 and passed away in 1920 (Grether, 2023). Weber, at times, challenged and rejected other theorists’ contributions to sociology and in doing so, has come up with his own theories. Weber’s work was mainly concerned with the understanding of bureaucracy and rationalizations within society, social action, and types of authority.
Weber’s main concerns as a theorist also happen to be his key contributions to sociology. Max Weber explains bureaucracy is a type of social organization that consists of hierarchies and the division of labor (Poling, 2021). Weber was interested in how characteristics of bureaucracy could lead to negative consequences. When Weber explained rationalization, he explained it as efficiency, calculability, and demystification. He said that rationalization often leads to depersonalization and the destruction of individual freedom, and that rationalization makes it a challenge for people to pursue specific values. His second key contribution is social action, he explained social action as the interactions between human beings and the motivations that exist for people to interact with others. He says that motivations are led by personal desires and social forces within society. There are four types of social action: purposeful/rational, value-oriented, emotional/affective, and traditional. Purposeful/rational social action refers to the actions where people interact with other individuals to achieve certain goals. Value-oriented social actions are actions that one engages in that they see as most beneficial. Emotional/affective social actions are actions that are expressed by emotional states or feelings. Traditional social actions are actions that are custom to society, actions that have always been done and so they continue to be done the same way.
The next concern that Weber focused on is the types of authorities within society. According to Max Weber, there are three types of authority: traditional, charismatic, and rational/legal. Traditional authority refers to the idea that society believes in the sanctity of traditions that have existed for great lengths of time and it’s continued that way because it always has been that way. This type of authority is based on persistent societal practices that have been passed down. Charismatic authority refers to the idea that society trusts a leader because the leader has shown exceptional heroism and sanctity, so therefore the people follow the rules set in place by the leader. This type of authority is based upon the characteristics of the leader like their abilities, drives, and attitudes. Rational/legal authority is the belief in the legality of patterns and normative rules and laws; this type of authority is governed by already established rules. Further explained, this type of authority is the most common form of authority in societies, these are societies where people obey authority figures simply because they have higher positions. This type of authority is used in institutions like the government, universities, and large organizations.
Max Weber’s contributions that he made to the science of sociology are still relevant in today’s society because they have produced fundamental frameworks for understanding modern society. His ideas of bureaucracy and rationalization have had big impacts on modern organizations and cultures within the community. Weber’s ideas on types of authority have remained prevalent in the way that societies elect authorities today, individuals tend to select authority figures on which type of authority they feel the figure has that most demonstrates their desired values. When looking at different cultures today, they tend to use one of those types of authority that Weber explained. An example of this is hereditary monarchy, which is when power is passed down through generations of family. Social action is still relevant today because whether or not people realize they are using of of the four types he explained, their actions fall into one category.
Throughout the following paper, I have examined a very crucial figure in the field of sociology and his key contributions. I have also explained what his key contributions are and how they are embedded in modern society today. His work has provided the modern societal world with frameworks that are still used to this day. When looking at the interactions between human beings, the government/large corporations, and bureaucracies, Weber’s framework that he has created with his studies is clearly visible.
References
Coser, L. A. (1977). Masters of Sociological Thought: Ideas in historical and social context (2d ed.). Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.
Grether, S. (2023). Max & Marianne Weber [Review of Max & Marianne Weber]. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from https://canvas.longwood.edu/courses/1310260/files/58059468?module_item_id=13400179
Poling, J. (2021, March 22). Applying Weber’s concept of bureaucracy to the pandemic. Applying Weber’s Concept of Bureaucracy to the Pandemic. https://www.everydaysociologyblog.com/2021/03/applying-webers-concept-of-bureaucracy-to-the-pandemic.html
SOCIOLOGY – Max Weber. (n.d.). Www.youtube.com. Retrieved November 29, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICppFQ6Tabw&t=11s