Sociological theory in the classical era
For this reading reflection paper, focus on at least one (1) of Max Weber”s works (The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, The Distribution of Power with the Political Community: Class, Status, Party, The Types of Legitimate Domination, Bureaucracy) in the textbook:
Clearly identify which work you are reflecting on. What are the main components of this work? What is the goal of the work?
Which components of the reading stood out to you? Must include short quotes from the selected work that you reflected on and cite pages.
Did the reading leave you with any questions? What important issues do you think the work try to address? What issues did it fail to address that you consider important?
Consider whether the work you read impacted, changed, or conflicted with beliefs or perspectives you held previously. If so, how?
Connect the ideas presented in the work that connect to your own experience or contemporary ideas, current social or political events, cultural artifacts (movies, shows, books, music, internet culture, etc.), or policies that impact or have impacted people’s lives.
Sample Solution
I am reflecting on Max Weber’s work The Types of Legitimate Domination. In this piece, Weber defines three types of legitimate domination in a society: traditional, charismatic, and legal-rational authority (Weber et al., 2012). Traditional authority is legitimized by custom; it has been passed down from generation to generation and involves obedience to those with a higher social standing than the subordinate. Charismatic authority relies heavily on personal attraction or devotion; people are drawn to an individual based off their personality traits or unique abilities. Lastly, legal-rational authority derives its legitimacy from laws and regulations that have been created by impersonal organizations or institutions (Weber et al., 2012). The goal of this work was to establish a framework for understanding how power is distributed in different societies. This allows us to better understand why certain leaders may be successful while others fail due various aspects such as cultural norms or lack of charisma. One component that stood out to me was the idea that all forms of legitimate domination rely upon consent rather than coercion (Weber et al., 2012, p. 77).
