Kalberg Flashcards
(10 cards)
What is Kalberg’s main argument?
Kalberg reconstructs Weber’s thought to identify four types of rationality—practical, theoretical, substantive, and formal—as tools for understanding the historical development of modern institutions and Western capitalism.
Why does this matter?
It explains how modernity and capitalism emerged through different rationalisation processes, not just economic change—clarifying Weber’s broader critique of modern society.
What is practical rationality?
Everyday, means-end reasoning to solve problems or pursue self-interest based on experience.
📌 Example: Peasants adjusting their work to seasonal conditions.
What is theoretical rationality?
Abstract, intellectual reasoning aimed at understanding the world.
📌 Example: Philosophers or scientists developing unified worldviews.
What is substantive rationality?
Action guided by value commitments or ethical systems, even if it’s inefficient.
📌 Example: A Calvinist living by religious principles or a Buddhist renouncing material life.
What is formal rationality?
Action shaped by rules, procedures, and universal standards, especially in law and economics.
📌 Example: Bureaucracies or capitalist markets using impersonal criteria.
How does Weber describe bureaucracy?
As formally rational—based on legal authority and standardised procedures rather than charisma or tradition, aiming for maximum efficiency.
How does religion relate to rationalisation?
Protestant ethics (like Calvinist predestination) introduced substantive rationality, encouraging disciplined, value-driven lives that helped shape modern capitalist rationality.
What is Kalberg’s critique of oversimplified views of rationalisation?
He warns that reducing Weber’s rationalisation theory to just disenchantment or bureaucratisation ignores the complexity and plurality of rationalities in history.
What is the broader takeaway?
Understanding how different rationalities interact—rather than assuming one dominant logic—helps explain the development of modern institutions, Western capitalism, and the tensions within modern life.
