(Originally a speech at Munich University, 1918, originally published in 1919.)

The article I have chosen to review is one of the public lectures Weber gave in 1918, just after Germany had been defeated in World War 1. The lecture is both interesting but also frustrating, it is challenging because of the range of ideas used and at times, I often found the reading of the lecture hard not to put down, Max Weber did not make it easy for his readers. However all that a side after a few more reads I eventually grasped his ideas, which could be open to great interpretations. Many would argue that Weber’s political insights during his lifetime is an outdated text as he relied perhaps too much on Roberts Michel’s study of the German social democrats. I guess it’s my turn to decide if this is the case, is there still any relevance of his work to today’s contemporary society through this review.

‘Politics as a Vocation’ is a pretty wide ranging essay –

He provides the reader with the working mechanisms of politics; he talks about political journalism and different kinds of party organizations,

His work is quite compelling, in fact some nuggets of his work still has relevance to, today. A general synopsis of the interpretation of his lecture comes to the conclusion that he is quite cynical of politicians, painting a dark picture, he calls Parliament members (except a few cabinet ministers ) as well disciplined ‘yes men’, and illustrates that really politicians simply have to be wealthy or there have personal income that can contribute to his calling. And how internal vetting of politicians goes on, “selecting leaders and eliminating mere demagogues”. In fact you could argue that Weber’s discussion of the political comes from a document that describes essentially how to be ‘politician’. The hard headed social scientist however allows himself to envisage a politician who we may all aspire to be:

beginning with the feudal parties of the Middle Ages to the Guelphs and Ghibbilines, ranging through the development of the English and American party systems, to Germany. Then he comes to the questions of ‘what inner enjoyments can this career (of a professional politician) offer, and what personal conditions are presupposed for one who enters this avenue?

This would promote understanding of different perspectives on and generate public discussion about fundamental questions like ‘What is politics?’ "Why do we study it?" and ‘What are the pitfalls and rewards of devoting one's life to studying it?’ Such an annual event would not serve to canonize" Weber. On the contrary, his answers to the questions listed above

Some topics in this essay:
Vocation’ Weber, Hobbes Montesquieu, Western Europe, Roberts Michel’s, English American, Max Weber, Munich University, World War, Marx Weber, Guelphs Ghibbilines, ‘politics vocation’, argue weber’s, questions ‘what, marx weber, means violence,