Metapolítica Articles: This text was the basis for the book launch of Chilean counterpart Luis Oro Tapia, entitled Max Weber and Political Policy, a reading from the periphery (Santiago de Chile, RIL editors , 2010), the presentation was conducted at the Cultural Center Montecarmelo, del Barrio Bellavista (Providencia, Santiago, Chile) in the month of September 2010.
Max Weber from Southern
World
Eduardo Hernando Nieto
I Introduction About the interesting work published by Professor Luis Oro Tapia "Max Weber: Politics and Politicians, a reading from the periphery" ( Santiago de Chile, RIL Editores, 2010) would make a critical considering some anti-meta aspects developed by the famous German sociologist. I start with the negative and then move to more emphasis While the light side of the German professor to conclude with an assessment of their contribution in our case from an American perspective and meta.
1. Why not Max Weber?
no doubt that Weber be considered as one of the fathers of social science his thought can not be alien or contrary to the distinction between facts and values \u200b\u200bthat marked the path of modern science and also what was the rejection the concept of nature and natural law [1] . In this sense, Weber be identified in the first term with the so-called first wave of modernism (positivism) and then part of the second wave this time associated with historicism [2] . Weberian thought has always been characterized by denying any possibility of knowledge of the values \u200b\u200b(must be), as Weber would exist a huge variety of these incommensurable values \u200b\u200bbeing so there would be no possibility of resolving conflicts between them as social science how much one could clarify the conflict to the individual chooses. [3] The problem with a reading like this is that leaves us one step of relativism and then quickly to nihilism. Indeed, we recognize in the author Weber warned us about the trend toward "petrified" of the modern institutions via the development of rationality, without But Weber also said that this stream of solidification in any case could be addressed via a revival of spirituality and charisma, however, the big problem would be that according to the neutral point of view to be adopted by Weber, the reason I could never determine whether correct the path of rationality or way of the spirit, ie could not make value judgments [4] at both positions. In this sense, the familiar ethic associated with prominent political behavior in his famous work "Politics as Vocation" [5] , ie the ethics of conviction and the ethic of responsibility [6] could not be elucidated because we would be equally incapable of taking one side or another. [7]
Finally, the question about the difficulty we find in choosing our politicians as opposed to the facility would have for example to select the physician who would like to attend and we heal us [8] can not be acquitted by the text of Weber and in the end more to develop the ethical principles as indicated by the same neutrality relied on the basis of their work clearly could never determine what would be the aims and purposes of politics and politicians This for the simple reason that this question could only be absolved by political philosophy but not for political science. [9]
2. Why, if Max Weber?
As Professor Strauss said, referring obviously to Weber, "notwithstanding its errors, is the greatest social scientist of our century" [10] such a statement in the mouth of someone who is considered one of the most important - for me the largest - political philosopher of the twentieth century is no small thing. His extensive analysis of the modern and particularly highlighting its contradictions can not be ignored if it is to understand precisely how is that it has reached the present crisis and how it is that we are in the midst of an apparent impasse. Just his lectures on the development of the modern state and capitalism for Weber considered essential love an author also reflects much of German thought in the late nineteenth and early twentieth influence in the development of many of the thinkers of the Revolution German conservative " [11] .
But if we place Weber in the first wave of modernism (positivism) then you have to match Weber's ideas with those makers of modern political science is, with authors such as Machiavelli and Hobbes to name two. They in turn are recognized as the architects of the so-called "political realism" and this means that policy are not a speculative or abstract (as in contemporary political science) but in its empirical dimension marked by the permanent presence of the power of force and because of violence as well. [12]
as sweetened In times like these where liberalism - as said Schmitt - obscures any political decision which has forgotten the meaning of politics as Strauss would argue, is that "do good and avoid evil "no doubt that political realism is still a pressing need and Weber is a huge contribution in this line. Moreover, while the realism identified with the first wave of modernity their link or contact with the world of classical political philosophy is still fresh and vital, hence Weber himself eventually have to deal with the values \u200b\u200bmalgré tout.
Finally, we un-realistic trends "equality" as linked to contemporary political correctness and so alien to allow much less important leadership to opt for an elite or ruling political class. Weber even under what contemporary political theorists say [13] advocates of "elite democracy" (Along with authors such as Fly or Schumpeter) which certainly leads us to sympathize more with the German professor.
3. Max Weber from Southern
World While the text of Professor Gold Tapia poses a Weberian reading from the American South, I believe that authors such as Weber finally is a reality that is verifiable at home and abroad. Corruption in politics today is the same in Chile, Peru and Germany, in this sense, pose a look from a geographic location can be dangerous as orillaría by sources of historicism which as indicated could lead to the kingdom the abnorm (nihilism). Otherwise consider reading Weber fresh work (as does the teacher Oro Tapia) undoubtedly contributes to improve the dismal outlook for the quota policy and to cast some light of hope of a future change, a thousand times is better to choose the political realism (despite their differences with classical political philosophy) that get stuck in speculative discourse of human rights led by the liberals of today.
[1] Leo Strauss, Natural Right and History, Chicago, Chicago University Press, 1970, cap.2.
[2] Leo Strauss, "The Three waves of modernity" in An Introduction to Political Philosophy. Ten Essays by Leo Strauss, Hilail Gildin (ed) Detroit, Wayne State University Press, 1975. Indeed as Professor Strauss, Weber is fed into a first term of post-Kantian philosophy (hence assumes its ethics and individualism) and then from historicism lead us to deny the possibility of some order that can be described as rationally correct.
[3] Leo Strauss, Natural Right and History, pp. 41 to 42.
[4] Ibid., P. 43.
[5] Max Weber, Politics as Vocation, Madrid, Biblioteca Nueva, 2007
[6] The first political behavior associated with the passion and enthusiasm while the second with reason and considering the impact that could result in our behavior toward others. Cf Oro Luis Tapia, Max Weber: Politics and Politicians reading from the periphery, Santiago de Chile, RIL Publishers, 2010
[7] Here if you disagree heartily supported by Professor Gold Tapia, in the sense that he considered feasible if an ethical balance between the two, from my point of view of Weber's skeptical the proposal would prevent such a thing. Cf Oro Luis Tapia, Ibid. p.31.
[8] Ibid., Pp. 28 to 29.
[9] The just political philosophy gives us answers about what should be the correct behavior around purposes of political life and the best political regime. See Leo Strauss, What Is Political Philosophy?, Madrid, Guadarrama, 1970.
[10] Leo Strauss, Natural Right and History, p.36.
[11] Cf Armin Mohler, La Révolution Conservatrice in Allemagne, 1918 - 1932, Puiseaix, Brown, 1993. Max Weber would have found it within the time when these ideas began to emerge clearly contrary to the spirit of enlightenment rationalism. It is also known Weber's influence on visible representatives of the conservative revolution as in the case of Carl Schmitt, John P. See McCormick, Carl Schmitt's critique of Liberalism, Against Politics as Technology, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1997.
[12] clearly indicates As Professor Luis Oro Tapia in his text, "the link between politics and violence has become increasingly intense since the institutionalization of the main political actor of the last five centuries : The Modern State "Op.cit, p.26.
[13] enough to study the classic texts of political correctness and David Held, to verify it. See David Held, Models of Democracy, Cambridge, Polity Press, 1988.
