THE FRACTURE IN WEBER’S SOCIOLOGICAL THOUGHT: Te Formation of a Comparative World-Historical Perspective

Abstract

German sociologist Max Weber has a central influential place in the analysis of modern society. Part of the current analysis discusses the concepts and factors that Weber considers explanatory. In this sense, periodizing the development of Weber’s thought and categorizing his basic concepts are crucial. Current approaches see 1904 as a significant turning point in Weber’s thought with regard to his book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Additionally, a serious claim exists placing rationalization as Weber’s critical concept. This paper proposes a new approach to periodizing Weber’s thought. What I call the “1909 Fracture” corresponds to a fundamental differentiation in Weber’s adventure. In 1909, Weber expanded his research beyond his original plan established in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. From that point on, he focused on the economic ethics of world religions. This focus led him to establish the meaning and importance of destiny and the future of modernity at the center of his sociology. Thus, in this new era for Weber, modernity’s position was crucial and role central. By focusing on 1909, the main scope of this chapter will offer a new approach for the periodization and categorization of Weber’s thought. © 2023 selection and editorial matter, Alan Sica; individual chapters, the contributors.