Includes bibliographical references (p. [269]-279) and index.

A man in his time -- Weber's politics -- Weber's methodology -- The Protestant ethic -- Weber's comparative sociology of religion -- From history to sociology -- The city, capitalism, socialism, and bureaucracy -- Education, knowledge, and vocation -- Conclusion : a man for our time.

Max Weber was one of the most influential and creative intellectual forces of the twentieth century. In his methodology of the social sciences, he both exposed the flaws and solidified the foundations of the German historical tradition. Throughout his life, he saw bureaucracy as a serious obstacle to cultural vitality but as an inescapable part of organizational rationality. And in his most famous essay, on the Protestant ethic, he uncovered the psychological underpinnings of capitalism and modern occupational life. This searching work offers the first comprehensive introduction to Weber's thou.