Max Weber (1864–1920) was a German sociologist and economist who examined the emergence of modern society through comparative studies of religion, authority, bureaucracy, and economic life. In “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism,” he explored how ascetic religious beliefs fostered disciplined attitudes toward work and accumulation that became associated with the development of modern capitalism. “Economy and Society,” assembled and published after his death, set out his interpretive approach to social action and distinguished among legal-rational, traditional, and charismatic forms of authority. Weber also analyzed bureaucracy as an efficient yet potentially restrictive form of organization. His account of rationalization showed how modern institutions could increase order and predictability while confining individuals within increasingly impersonal systems of rules.
