ABSTRACT
Sociology now became respectable, and modern German sociology developed around the Verein, encouraged the study of the social sciences and of economic history. The surveys carried out by the Verein, were not strictly economic, had a favourable effect on the development of sociological field work in Germany. Amongst the 'cultural sciences' it was the political sciences, and in particular younger school of economic science led by Gustav Von Schmoller, which drew closer to sociology. As sociology obviously does not fit into this scheme it is allowed to proceed 'nomothetically', in a generalizing fashion that it is denied the right to meddle any longer with 'the life of mankind in its unique course', as this is not its subject. On one hand, sociology is brought nearer to history again, even if only as an auxiliary science, while on other hand everything possible is done to dehistoricize it. Both these trends exercised an important influence on the development of sociology in Germany.
