ABSTRACT
All major elements and tendencies in modern sociology take Max Weber seriously–even if he seems more cited than read. Weber was "discovered" by a special kind of American–the worldly eastern sociologist trained in Europe, or at least learned in the languages and customs of central and northern Europe. The design of The Structure of Social Action gives a critical anchor to a select cluster of Weber's writings. The American response to the European Weber is thus considerably more differentiated than pre-World War Two sociology allowed for–and for reasons not entirely trivial by any means. Weber became one of the classic father figures to whom the good sociologist turns for inspiration–specifically, for new ideas about old themes. Only Pareto, anticipating the fascist sense of order, argued the case for caution against any casual linkage between mass behavior and social control. The imposition of power by one group over another made for authority, law, and the dominant culture.
