Reexamination of Sect Democracy

from a viewpoint of functional authority

Abstract

This study reexamines Sect Democracy, which was discussed by Max Weber, Jeffrey C. Alexander & Colin Loader, and so on. (We use “Sect Democracy” in the sense of Alexander & Loader's discussion, in which they emphasize that the modern society can be integrated and controlled by the network of sect-like organizations.) Being based on Weber's discussion, we will, first, deal with the features of Sect Democracy; the voluntary and exclusive membership, and the influence(teleological/causal) on the community. Secondly, we will point out several problems concerning these features, and, finally, regard the priciple of Sect Democracy as the mechanism of the people's credit-creating processes in contemporary democracy.