«Until the Last Ton of Fossil Fuel Has Burnt». Max Weber on Natural Resources and the End of Capitalism

Abstract

Thinking about the end of capitalism is nothing new. The amazing thing is that Max Weber, who is not suspected of being a socialist or a communist, did so more than 100 years ago – in terms of fossil fuels. This brings him closer to the demands of the “green economy”, but on closer inspection, the energy and raw material base is only one factor in Weber’s complex conception of modern capitalism.

Keywords

• modern capitalism
• industrial revolution
• natural resources
• sustainability
• economic history
• max weber