Max Weber (1864 - 1920)

Max Weber's approach is almost contrary to that of Durkheim. For Weber, the individual is the basic unit of the society . He opines that the finding of sociological laws is but a means to understand man. In his system, sociological laws are "empirically established probabilities or statistical generalisations of the course of social behavior of which an interpretation can be given in terms of typical motives and intentions. Sociological method is a combination of inductive or statistical generalisation with verstchen (understanding) interpretation by the aid of an ideal type of behavior, that is, assumed to be rationally or purposefully determined".

Weber devoted much of his efforts to expand a special method called the method of understanding (verstchen) for the study of social phenomena. He stressed the importance of maintaining objectively and neutrality of value-judgement in social sciences. He wrote much on such topics as religion; various aspects of economic life, including money and the division of labour, political parties and other forms of political organisation and authority; bureaucracy and other varieties of larger-scale organisation; class and caste; the city; and music. His influence on contemporary sociologists especially those of analytic school is rapidly increasing. His major works are: Economics and Society, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, The City, Bureaucracy and various other books and essays.