To be Max Weber by Stefano Donno

Max Weber was a German sociologist, philosopher, and political economist who is considered one of the founders of modern sociology. He is best known for his concept of "verstehen," which refers to the empathetic understanding of social action, and his theory of bureaucracy, which he described as the most efficient form of organization.

Weber was born in 1864 in Erfurt, Germany. He studied law and economics at the University of Heidelberg and later received his doctorate in law from the University of Berlin. After a brief stint in politics, he returned to academia and began teaching at various universities in Germany.

One of Weber's most famous works is "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism," in which he argues that the Protestant work ethic played a crucial role in the development of capitalism. According to Weber, the Protestant belief in predestination led people to work hard and accumulate wealth as a way of demonstrating that they were among the elect.

In addition to his work on religion and economics, Weber also made significant contributions to the study of bureaucracy. He argued that bureaucracy was the most rational form of organization, as it was based on clearly defined rules and roles and was characterized by division of labor, hierarchy, and formalized decision-making processes.

Weber's ideas have had a lasting impact on the field of sociology and continue to be widely studied and debated by scholars today. He died in 1920 at the age of 56.