Book
Politica, o vocație
by Max Weber · 1919 · 3 reading cards · public domain
3 cards
Politica, o vocație · 1919
Weber defines politics in realistic, not idealistic terms. It is not about the common good, but about participating in power—either as a politician holding office or as a citizen influencing decisions. This definition includes both international diplomacy and the struggle between parties or interest groups within a country. A union negotiating with the government is doing politics.
“Politics means striving to share power or striving to influence the distribution of power, either among states or among groups within a single state.”
Politica, o vocație · 1919
The state is defined by its exclusive monopoly on legitimate physical violence within a territory.
Weber offers a sociological definition of the state, not a legal or moral one. What makes the state unique is that it alone has the right to use force (police, army) and to authorize others to do so. This monopoly is 'legitimate' because society accepts it as such. For example, a citizen cannot take justice into their own hands, but the state can arrest and punish.
“The state is that human community which, within a certain territory, claims for itself (successfully) the monopoly of legitimate physical violence.”
- 03
The ethic of responsibility requires you to consider the foreseeable consequences of your actions.
Politica, o vocație · 1919
The ethics of responsibility demands anticipating and owning the consequences of your actions.
Weber distinguishes between the ethic of conviction (acting on principles regardless of outcome) and the ethic of responsibility (weighing effects). A responsible politician does not just do what they believe is right but calculates the real impact of their decisions. For example, a minister cutting subsidies to balance the budget must foresee and manage the social consequences.
“Whoever acts according to the ethic of responsibility takes into account the foreseeable consequences of his action.”