Max Weber Quotes

40 Sourced Quotes

The capacity for the accomplishment of religious virtuosos — the intellectual sacrifice — is the decisive characteristic of the positively religious man. That this is so is shown by the fact that in spite of (or rather in consequence) of theology (which unveils it) the tension between the value-spheres of science and the sphere of the holy is unbridgeable.

Max Weber
All research in the cultural sciences in an age of specialization, once it is oriented towards a given subject matter through particular settings of problems and has established its methodological principles, will consider the analysis of the data as an end in itself.

Max Weber
Daily and hourly, the politician inwardly has to overcome a quite trivial and all-too-human enemy: a quite vulgar vanity.

Max Weber
Capitalism may even be identical with the restraint, or at least a rational tempering, of this irrational impulse. But capitalism is identical with the restraint, or at least a rational tempering, of this irrational impulse. But capitalism is identical with the pursuit of profit, and forever renewed profit, by means of continuous, rational, capitalistic enterprise.

Max Weber
The experience of the irrationality of the world has been the driving force of all religious revolution.

Max Weber
A fully developed bureaucratic mechanism stands in the same relationship to other forms as does the machine to the non-mechanical production of goods. Precision, speed, clarity, documentary ability, continuity, discretion, unity, rigid subordination, reduction of friction and material and personal expenses are unique to bureaucratic organization.

Max Weber
An inner devotion to the task, and that alone, should lift the scientist to the height of dignity of the subject he pretends to serve.

Max Weber
Charisma knows only inner determination and inner restraint.... The charismatic leader gains and maintains authority solely by proving his strength in life.

Max Weber
The State is a relation of men dominating men, a relation supported by means of legitimate (i.e. considered to be legitimate) violence.

Max Weber
Only on the assumption of belief in the validity of values is the attempt to espouse value-judgments meaningful. However, to judge the validity of such values is a matter of faith.

Max Weber