Characteristics
- focused on rationalization, bureaucracy and social stratification
- pessimistic about the possibility of individual freedom.
Sociological Framework
argued for social action through interpretive means, based on the meaning that people attach to their actions.
Verhesten
empathetic understanding of human behavior
Social Action
those that take other people’s behavior into account.
What are the ideal types of social action?
- Traditional: settled customs and habits
- Affective: determined by emotional states/impulses
- Value rational: based on intrinsic value of religious belief
- Instrumental: organizes behaviour by treating objects and other human beings as means to achieving an end
What caused the shift from traditional feudalism to modern feudalism
social change occurs when there is a shift in how people think.
Protestant reformation was crucial in developing modern capitalist society
- ideas of personal responsibility
- work ethic
- entrepreneurialism
- prudence
rational ordered ways of thinking and acting
What is the process of rationalization?
The rise of bureaucracy in modern society.
- Specialized roles
- recruitment based merit
- uniform principles of placement
- supremacy of abstract rules
- impersonal authority.
What are the good effects of the process of rationalization?
clear rules, goal oriented society, efficient
What are the negative effects of the process of rationalization?
inflexible, overspecialized, exploitative society.
What are the types of legitimate authority
- Traditional: claims legitimacy on basis of existing traditions that say who can be authority
- Charismatic: claims legitimacy on the basis of sanctity, heroism, or otherwise impressive characteristics.
- Legal rational: claims legitimacy based on a common belief in the legality of rules and exercize of authority.
Sociological study of law
- law oriented behaviour os shaped by an understanding of law and how they think others understand the law
- law is obeyed because it is seen as legitimate
- legal order requires presence of law people to ensure that laws are obeyed
Logical formalist study of law
- law is distinct and rational
- law is made up of two fundamental activities: enforcement and adjudication
- there are formal versus substantive law systems, and rational versus irrational procedures.
Describe the typology of legal social action
Substantive irrational: ad hoc approach to law, leaping to conclusions
Formal Irrational: law making by prophetic revelation
Substantive rational: follows clearly defined principles with ethical framework
Formal rational: systemic, rule governed, not ethics based.
Criticisms of Weber
His definition of law is coercive and entailing special staff. Protestantism gave rise to capitalist values. His value free analysis is impossible. He has a pessimistic and defeatist view of modern society, and resistance of iron cage is not sufficiently considered.
