Max Weber: Rationalization of the World as a Historic-Universal Process

This article analyzes Max Weber's sociology of religion, focusing on the emergence of world religions. For this author, the universal tendency towards rationalization is an historical force that has to confront other forces, leading to unique situations in each historical case. Thus, ancient Judaism can be seen not only as a forerunner of the West, but also as the result of a combination of historical factors which allowed the rationalizing driving force to spread with greater strength, enabling it to be used as an heuristic tool for the comprehension of other civilizations. Chinese or Indian cultures are seen as processes where rationalization has been hampered or inhibited. By regarding ratio as a universal driving force, Weber builds his philosophy of history. Thus, Weber's view of Modernity is seen through its metahistorical roots.