Max Weber's Economic Ethic of the World Religions: An Analysis

by Thomas C. Ertman (Editor)

Overview

This book brings together for the first time in English internationally-recognized specialists who seek to identify what is 'living' and what is 'dead' in the great German social scientist Max Weber's analyses of China, India and Ancient Israel found in his massive, unfinished Economic Ethic of the World Religions. In so doing, the volume offers a powerful new perspective on the current debate concerning the timing of and deeper roots of the 'Great Divergence' - and more recent convergence - in the economic and political development of the West on the one hand, and the great civilizations of Asia on the other. At the same time, this volume also rebalances our understanding of Weber's entire intellectual output by returning The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism to its proper place within Economic Ethic of the World Religions and establishing that work as the equal of the similarly unfinished Economy and Society.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781107133877
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	03/24/2017
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.18(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.94(d)

About the Author

Thomas C. Ertman is Associate Professor of Sociology and Director of the College Core Curriculum at New York University. He is the author of the award-winning Birth of the Leviathan: Building States and Regimes in Medieval and Early Modern Europe (Cambridge, 1997) and is currently working on a successor volume.

Table of Contents

Part I. Introduction: 1. Max Weber's Economic Ethic of the World Religions: a neglected social science classic? Thomas Ertman; Part II. Weber's Economic Ethic of the World Religions in the Context of his Overall Intellectual Project: 2. Max Weber's Sociology of Religion: a project in comparison and developmental history Wolfgang Schluchter; 3. Introductory remarks on Max Weber's Economic Ethic of the World Religions Hartmann Tyrell; Part III. Reassessing Weber on China: 4. Weber's religion of China Timothy Brook; 5. The Chinese state, social order and economic change R. Bin Wong; 6. Max Weber and patterns of Chinese history Dingxin Zhao; Part IV. Reassessing Max Weber on India: 7. Max Weber and Indian religions David Lorenzen; 8. Politics, state and empire in Weber's The Religions of India Philip Stern; 9. India in comparison: Max Weber's analytical agenda Martin Fuchs; Part V. Reassessing Max Weber on Ancient Israel: 10. Max Weber's sociological approach and ancient Israel: an archaeological critique William Dever; 11. Weber's Ancient Judaism: how well has it worn? Ziony Zevit; 12. Max Weber's sociology of Ancient Judaism as part of his project on the economic ethics of the world religions Eckart Otto; Part VI. Conclusion: 13. Living and dead in Max Weber's Economic Ethic of the World Religions Thomas Ertman; Index.