Table of Contents

Preface; Publisher's note; Biographical summary; Part I. The Foundations of Social Theory: Introduction; 1. The nature of social action; 2. Basic categories of social organisation; 3. Classes, status groups and parties; Part II. The Methodology of the Social Sciences: Introduction; 4. Value-judgements in social science; 5. The concept of 'following a rule'; 6. The logic of historical explanation; Part III. Ideology: Introduction; 7. Protestant asceticism and the spirit of capitalism; 8. The soteriology of the underprivileged; 9. The religions of Asia; Part IV. Politics: Introduction; 10. Politics as a vocation; 11. The nature of charismatic domination; 12. Socialism; 13. Economic policy and the national interest in imperial Germany; 14. The prospects for liberal democracy in Tsarist Russia; Part V. Economic and Social History: Introduction; 15. Urbanisation and social structure in the ancient world; 16. Government, kinship and capitalism in China; 17. The origins of industrial capitalism in Europe; 18. The development of bureaucracy and its relation to law; Part IV. Miscellaneous Topics: Introduction; 19. Race relations; 20. Industrial psychology; 21. The stock exchange; 22. The history of the piano; 23. Freudianism; 24. Sociology and biology; Index.

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Selected extracts from Max Weber's writings which reflect the full range of his concerns.

Reviews

'The volume as a whole amply fulfils the editor's intention to produce 'a selection which will, so far as is possible within a single volume, give the English-speaking reader an overall picture of Weber's contribution to the remarkably wide range of topics in the social sciences to which he addressed himself over his career.' Economic Journal 'Mr Runciman's carefully edited selections (fluently, indeed brilliantly, translated by Mr Matthews) offer a most serviceable introduction. The oeuvre of a giant is not easily condensed: but most of these selections go right to the core of what Weber had to say about methodology, about religion, bureaucracy and law, and of his contributions to comparative economic history.' The Observer 'The editor has trusted his own good judgement, including some familiar pieces and some unfamiliar ones, and he has modestly kept his own comments to a minimum. The translator has worked to great effect. And the publisher has produced a very elegant book. The result is a first-class collection, the best of its kind.' New Society