Spectres of reification: Weber and Simmel on History and Class Consciousness

Abstract

Georg Lukács’ famous essay on reification, published in 1923 in the book History and Class Consciousness, had a lasting impact on several critical philosophical and sociological currents throughout the twentieth century and remains relevant to the present day. The fruitfulness and longevity of Lukács’ approach can to a large extent be traced back to his creative and bold attempt to articulate distinct interpretations of the process of modernization within a theoretical framework inspired, for the most part, by Karl Marx’s analysis of commodity fetishism. It has been noted many times that Max Weber’s approach to the connection between Western rationalism and modern capitalism plays a crucial role in Lukács’ essay, as does Georg Simmel’s enquiry into the cultural significance of the modern monetary economy. This article intends to explore the tensions that arise out of such a challenging endeavour by way of an imaginary dialogue between Weber and Simmel, taking place shortly after the publication of History and Class Consciousness. This allows us not only to reflect on some of the intricacies of Lukács’ seminal essay but also to delve into fundamental contrasts between the Simmelian and Weberian approaches to social reality and modernity.