Why Max Weber’s sociology is as attractive as it is fallacious

Abstract

Weber’s sociology is very attractive because it enhances individual action in an individualistic society that is inspired by the polytheism of values. It captures the characteristics of our society, in which everybody serves his/her own idols on the basis of a supposed (Weberian) “subjective rationality”. Donati argues, instead, that it is a fallacious and misleading sociology, because it does not recognize the constitutive element of social reality and of people, that is their complex relationality. Weber declared his intention to found sociology on the concept of social relation, but, unfortunately, he proposed a vision of social relations that is strongly deficient. This thesis is discussed with reference to the case of multiculturalism as a cultural and political doctrine homogeneous to the Weberian vision. The failures of this doctrine reveal the shortcomings of the Weberian sociology.