Academic masters are unique and constitute a century-old classic.
Max Weber is a famous sociologist, economist and political scientist in Germany. He is known as the "father of organizational theory", and is also known as the three founders of sociology with Marx and Durkheim. Compared with other great thinkers of the same period, Weber's thought is unique: to explore the origin of capitalism and economic phenomena from the level of culture and concept.
From this, Weber leads to the proposition of Protestant ethics and capitalist spirit: the professional ethics produced by Protestantism has a causal relationship with modern capitalism. Protestantism has shaped the ethical norms of people's social life, precipitated into the unique cultural characteristics and lifestyle of European society, became the spirit of rational capitalism, and promoted the development of modern capitalist economy.
Later, Weber extended his discussion of capitalism to the process of social rationalization. He believes that western society has experienced a rationalization process different from other civilizations. A rational lifestyle liberates people from unreasonable desires and dependence on the secular world, and their behavior is bound by lasting rationality and ethics. The important theme involved in this book is the influence of people's mental activities on behavior. While exploring the source of spiritual strength tirelessly, Weber made an accurate analysis and bold prediction on the present situation and future of society. Why should people work hard and accumulate wealth? Driven by capital, where will mankind go? After a hundred years, Weber's forward-looking remarks are still worth savoring.
Introduction by famous experts, interpretation of Weber's proposition from a new angle
In order to let more readers enter Weber and get to know him, Yilin Publishing House invited Zhou Xueguang, a famous sociologist, to write the introduction of this edition of Protestant Ethics and the Spirit of Capitalism. Mr. Zhou Xueguang is a professor of sociology at Stanford University, a professor of economic development at Li Guoding University, a senior researcher at the Freeman-Berger Institute of International Studies, and a senior Weber research expert.
In the process of leading students to study Weber together, Professor Zhou Xueguang completed seven reading notes at the same time, clarified Weber's main ideas with concise summary, and narrowed the distance between Weber and more readers with easy-to-understand language.
Protestant Ethics and the Spirit of Capitalism inherits the consistent style of Weber's works: meticulous logic, grand theme and rigorous expression. Zhou Xueguang's Introduction accurately grasps the core proposition of this book and constructs Weber's thinking framework with concise language. For readers who are new to Weber, this introduction is undoubtedly the best introductory guide. In addition, considering the evolution of the times and the differences between Chinese and western cultural backgrounds, Zhou Xueguang pointed out the confusion that readers may encounter when reading this book in the "Introduction" and gave specific methods to understand Weber. Besides the content, Guang is more interested in guiding readers to learn Weber's research methods and endowing the classic works with higher spiritual value.