Not everyone would agree with Norberto Bobbio that Max Weber is a classic in political
philosophy. Assuming that the “ethical neutrality” in sociology and economics involves
Weber’s dismissal of classical philosophical questions concerning the good society and the
best form of government, the aim of this paper is to demonstrate that Weber’s call for
coherence and decency – beyond the distinction of the ethic of conviction
(Gesinnungsethik) and the ethic of responsibility (Verantwortungsethik) – is still relevant
for political philosophy and philosophers who reflect on the relations between ethics and
politics.
