General Economic History (classes, Introduction, 1950-1952)

[1] INTRODUCTION

[…] Such a study might roughly follow the lines on which Spencer, Marx, Durkheim, Veblen, Pareto and Max Weber approached the question of the sociology of the human sociology.

[…]

[2]

Among the economic historians who came nearest to such an approach in the past, we would have to mention Cunningham in England, Pirenne in Belgium, Rostovtzeff in Russia, Gustav Schmoller, Carl Buecher and Max Weber in Germany. Of these authors, it is Max Weber whose General Economic History is closest to my own starting point, and I regard the work done here as a continuation of the line inaugurated by him.

Let me now briefly point out the main difference between the present period and that at which Max Weber made his memorable attempt at a recasting of Economic History.

(1) Weber nourished an unshaken belief in the viability and vitality of the market economy. He attached special significance to Bolshevism and Fascism, which had just made their appearance. The Russian Revolution seemed at that time to most observers as a mere continuation of the march of the French Revolution toward the East, overthrowing absolute monarchy, emancipating the peasant from semi-feudal landlordism, and liberating racial minorities oppressed by a dominant nationalism. Fascism was still restricted to Italy. Max Weber's own life experience was thus limited to the Nineteenth Century type of [incomplete]

Documents Informations

Reference:
Date: 1950-1952
KPA: 31/06, 1-2