Max Weber's Genteel Racism

[Justin Schwartz]

. . .
>
>In contrast to Weber, I'm saying that the idea of the "West" and the
>ensemble of social relations that make this unit seem "natural &
>eternal" are the creations of capitalism.  Therefore, Thucydides,
>Aristotle, etc. were not "of the West."
>>It's the same type of error as saying that Socrates was "gay."
>Anachronism, in a word.
>

What does this alleged error have to do with cultural racism or 
Eurocentrism, though?

And I am not so sure it is an error: every era creates its own antecedents, 
and of course before capitalsim we could not have said that Hayek or Hobbes 
belong together with Aristotle and Thucydides in a way that none of them 
belong with Confucius or Buddha. But after capitalism arose, we can see that 
there is a tradition that includes Aristotle and Hayek, but none that 
includes, in the same way, Aristotle and Confucius. So I am not even sure it 
is anachrobistic to say that there is such a thing a  Western Civuilization.

But even if there's no such thing, it's not racist to be anachronistic in 
thsi way, nor even "culruralist" or "Eurocentric," unless yiou also add: the 
West is the Best. And you haven't yet stuck that one on Weber. (Wouldn't 
surprise me if he believed it, but you haven't shown it). --jks

--jks
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