ABSTRACT
Max Weber was one of the main founders of modern sociology, and his work is credited with explanatory power today in relation to the moral and ethical hazards associated with capitalism and modern institutions. Biographers of Max Weber believe the exposure to Berlin's intellectual society inspired his theoretical pursuits from an early age, but a strict home life and differences between his parents contributed to the mental health problems that plagued him throughout his life. Weber wrote numerous works on religion, capitalism and bureaucracy. Weber originally supported German nationalist expansion and joined the military reserves on the outbreak of First World War, where he was involved in organising army hospitals. Weber believed that organisations would be more concerned about self-preservations through self-surveillance and this goal would supersede their original aim. Although Weber was writing over 100 years ago, his theories provide a way of thinking about organisations and behaviours that continues to resonate in contemporary society.
