MAX WEBER’S CONCEPT OF POLITICAL PERSONALITY AN APPRAISAL

Abstract

Max Weber’s concept of political personality and his endorsement of an ethics of responsibility including his view on ethical neutrality have attracted the attentions of many scholars His theory of value conflict and his realistic comprehension of politics and also the manner he understands the relation between politics and ethics have influenced his concept of a political personality. He considers the two opposing ethics (ethics of conviction and ethics of responsibility) only when taken together can constitute the basic nature of human being. He emphasizes that a political personality must have three qualities; passion, a sense of responsibility and a sense of proportion. Most importantly, his idea of the two ethics constituting the basic nature of a human being and his emphasis of a politician having a sense of responsibility thereby arguing for an ethics of responsibility to be appropriate for politics remains a point of analysis. Moreover his emphasis on the ethics of responsibility for politics does not remove the inherent or intrinsic nature of ethics of conviction in a human being which a political personality is involved. The balancing nature of the two ethics remains fundamental for an ideal politician. It is necessary and can be of great importance for sustainable governance. Then not only that they are fundamental but they are the key factors for an ideal leader. Through critical analytical method, his ideas of ethical neutrality, political personality and the relation between politics and ethics would be considered.