Max Weber

The 'spirit of capitalism,' in the sense in which we are using the term, is not merely a matter of economic activity, but of a whole way of life.

The development of the 'spirit of capitalism' is best understood as part of the development of rationalism as a whole.

The Puritan wanted to be a man of calling; we are forced to be.

The fully developed bureaucratic apparatus compares with other organizations exactly as does the machine with the non-mechanical modes of production.

The peculiarity of the modern Western world is the development of a rational capitalism.

The 'calling' is a religious concept, but it has been secularized.

The 'disenchantment of the world' means that there are no longer any mysterious incalculable forces that come into play, but rather that one can, in principle, master all things by calculation.

The professional politician is a man who lives 'off' politics, as a paid official, or 'for' politics, as a leader.

The 'spirit of capitalism' is an ethos, a way of life, not merely a set of economic practices.

The modern state is an institutional association of domination which has successfully monopolized the legitimate use of physical force within a given territory.

The 'iron cage' of bureaucracy is a metaphor for the increasing rationalization and dehumanization of modern society.

The Puritan's idea of a calling was that one should fulfill one's duty in worldly affairs as a sign of one's election.

The 'disenchantment of the world' is a process of rationalization that has led to the decline of magic and religious belief.

The 'spirit of capitalism' is characterized by a rational pursuit of profit and a systematic organization of labor.

The 'iron cage' is a powerful image of the constraints that modern rationalized society places on individual freedom.

The 'calling' is a central concept in the Protestant ethic, linking religious belief to worldly activity.

The 'disenchantment of the world' is a process of intellectualization that has led to a loss of meaning and purpose.

The 'spirit of capitalism' is a historical phenomenon that emerged in the West and has spread throughout the world.

The 'iron cage' is a metaphor for the increasing dominance of instrumental rationality in modern life.

The 'calling' is a religious duty to work diligently and systematically in one's chosen profession.