Max Weber

In "Politics as a Vocation," Max Weber frames politics as a function of the state, and thereby defines the state as that social organization that has the unique right to use physical force or violence. The first portion of his lecture is devoted to illustrating how and why the state should be defined in terms of its command over the "legitimate," or legal, use of physical force over the populace. Therefore, Weber does not frame politics or statehood primarily in terms of economic or legal powers but basic physical power. In other words, political power automatically entails physical power and political control is wielded through physical control.

Next, Weber describes what he calls the "legitimations of domination," including patriarchal tradition, charisma, and legal authority. Politicians can secure their power through any of these means. Weber also shows how politicians can either "live for" politics or "live off" politics as a vocational choice. The author also calls the political life a "calling."

Then, Weber describes in details the ways in which political bureaucracies function in the modern world, using several examples from Western and Eastern societies to illustrate his points. Weber also points out the now essential relationship between politics and the media. The author describes how journalism is in itself a form of political power but that major news media are really controlled by capitalists.

One of the salient issues Weber discusses in "Politics as a Vocation" is the ethical dimension of political life. Weber focuses on three main qualities that politicians need in order to be effective: "passion, a feeling of responsibility, and a sense of proportion." Weber also refers to what he calls the "ethic of the Sermon on the Mount" as a guide for political thought. The ethic of the Sermon of the Mount offers a reasonable means to exert just and dignified political control. Finally, Weber distinguishes between the "ethic of ultimate ends" and the "ethic of responsibility," which are two different ways of approaching morality in politics. The two are not mutually exclusive, according to the author, for the politician must sometimes justify the means in order to obtain a desirable end outcome. Weber shows how politics is a treacherous profession, and one filled with moral ambiguity. The politician must be internally prepared to deal with negativity and evil as well as justice.