Synopsis

For more than 100 years, Max Weber's the Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism has set the parameters for the debate over the origins of modern capitalism. Now more timely and thought provoking than eve, this esteemed classic of twentieth-century social science examines the deep cultural "frame of mind" that existed at the birth of modern capitalism and to this day influences attitudes toward work in North America and Western Europe.

In this volume, Stephen Kalberg revises his internationally acclaimed translation-using shorter sentences and more lucid language-to make the work even more accessible to students and other readers. Capturing the essence of Weber's style as well as the subtlety of his descriptions and causal arguments, this is the only translation of the revised 1920 edition of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism published since 1930.

To draw readers into the material, this engaging volume includes extensive introductions by the editor, a chronology of Weber's life, a glossary, and numerous clarifying endnotes. Detailed commentaries discuss the controversies Weber addressed, explain his complex causal argument by reference to the general contours of his sociology, summarize the history of "the Protestant Ethic debate", and examine the significance of "the Protestant Sects" essays. Ideal for courses in sociology, anthropology, political science, history, international relations, economics, and cultural studies, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism is an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand the origins and endurance of the modern West.

Times Higher Education Supplement

Max Weber is the one undisputed canonical figure in contemporary sociology.

Biography

Max Weber (1864-1920) was a key figure in the development of the social sciences and wrote many works in the fields of sociology, politics, economics and law. In the course of his career he taught at the universities of Freiburg, Heidelberg and Munich.

Stephen Kalberg is Associate Professor of Sociology at Boston University. He is the co-chair of the German Study Group at the Center for European Studies, Harvard University, and the author of Max Weber's Comparative-Historical Sociology (Polity Press, 1994).