Intends to make Weber's sociological work more accessible and more thematically coherent than it is either in the original or in translation. This volume is used as an introduction to the study of original Weber texts and gives the reader a systematic presentation of Weber's sociological studies.

I. Career and Personal Orientation PART ONE GERMAN SOCIETY AND THE PROTESTANT ETHIC II. Weber's Early Studies and the Definition of His Intellectual Perspective III. Aspects of Economic Rationality in the West PART TWO SOCIETY, RELIGION, AND SECULAR ETHIC: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CIVILIZATIONS IV. Introduction V. Society and Religion in China VI. Society and Religion in India VII. Society and Religion in Ancient Palestine VIII. Max Weber's Sociology of Religion PART THREE DOMINATION, ORGANIZATION, AND LEGITIMACY: MAX WEBER'S POLITICAL SOCIOLOGY IX. Basic Concepts of Political Sociology X. Charismatic Leadership and Domination XI. Traditional Domination XII. Legal Domination: The Emergence of Legal Rationality XIII. Legal Domination (continued): The Modern Sate and Struggle for Power XIV. A Contemporary Perspective XV. Max Weber's Image of Society Index

"Reinhard Bendix's work is the most complete introduction to Weber's thinking available in English . . . Bendix devotes most of his book to an exposition of Weber's substantive writings, omitting only a few studies. . . .Bendix is as fair and accurate in his exposition of Weber's work as one can ever expect, and he leads us with a keen sense of the essentials through Weber's voluminous scholarship."--Political Science Quarterly "Where others have restricted themselves to brief interpretation or analysis of specific aspects of Weber's work, Bendix has attempted the full scale study that has long been needed. As such, it unquestionably fulfills the minimum requirements. It is admirably clear, well organized, inclusive and based on long and conscientious research. For the student who wants an introductory guide to Weber, it will be a godsend, providing as it does the overall structure that the theoretician himself did not live to complete."--American Historical Review "Anyone who is aware of the scope and intricacy of Weber's work will recognize the magnitude of the task that Professor Bendix took upon himself and applaud the manner in which he has accomplished it."--New Statesman