2007 Volume 2007 Issue 57 Pages 1-40,en3
On October 25, 1917, Max Weber gave a talk in Vienna on problems of the sociology of the state (Probleme der Staatssoziologie). At this time he pointed out a fourth type of domination that has not received so much attention in Japan. As is generally known, Max Weber distinguished three pure types of legitimate domination or authority, namely legal, traditional, and charismatic domination. In legal domination, legitimacy rests on a belief in the validity of legal statute and functional competence based on formally-rationally enacted rules. In traditional domination, legitimacy rests on the authority of the "eternal yesterday", the sanctity of the ancient habits, and the prescriptive order of things. And in charismatic domination, legitimacy rests on the authority of the extraordinary and personal gift of grace (charisma) and the values revealed by the charismatic leader. But unlike other three authoritarian types, a fourth type of legitimate domination is based on "the will of the ruled". In other words, it is a democratic legitimacy which is derived from "the will of antiauthoritarian people". There is the only original account of the talk in the Neue Freie Presse (Vienna), No. 19102, October 26, 1917.
Why did Max Weber point out such a fourth type of domination or legitimacy in Vienna? Why didn't Max Weber argue it in his texts on and after October 26, 1917?
The purpose of this paper is to clarify the primary grounds by investigating minutely the original account of his talk on problems of the sociology of the state, three pure types of legitimate domination, and a fourth type of legitimate domination.
