Editing Max Weber (section)

====Weimar Republic====
After the war ended, Weber unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the [[Weimar National Assembly]] in January 1919 as a member of the liberal [[German Democratic Party]], which he had co-founded.{{sfnm|1a1=Mommsen|1a2=Steinberg|1y=1984|1pp=303–308|2a1=Radkau|2y=2009|2pp=513–514|3a1=Kim|3y=2022}} He also advised the National Assembly in its drafting of the [[Weimar Constitution]].{{sfnm|1a1=Kaesler|1y=2014|1pp=866–870|2a1=Bendix|2a2=Roth|2y=1977|2p=3|3a1=Radkau|3y=2009|3pp=511–512}} While he was campaigning for his party, Weber critiqued the left and complained about [[Karl Liebknecht]] and [[Rosa Luxemburg]] who led the leftist [[Spartacus League]]. He regarded the [[German Revolution of 1918–1919]] as having been responsible for Germany's inability to fight against [[Second Polish Republic|Poland]]'s claims on its eastern territories.{{sfn|Radkau|2009|pp=505–508}} His opposition to the revolution may have prevented [[Friedrich Ebert]], the new [[President of Germany (1919–1945)|president of Germany]] and a member of the [[Social Democratic Party of Germany|Social Democratic Party]], from appointing him as a minister or ambassador.{{sfnm|1a1=Mommsen|1a2=Steinberg|1y=1984|1pp=301–302|2a1=Kaesler|2y=1988|2p=22}} Weber was also critical of the [[Treaty of Versailles]], which he believed unjustly [[Article 231 of the Treaty of Versailles|assigned war guilt to Germany]].{{sfnm|1a1=Kaesler|1y=2014|1p=882|2a1=Radkau|2y=2009|2pp=500–504}} Instead, he believed that many countries were guilty of starting it, not just Germany.{{sfnm|1a1=Waters|1a2=Waters|1y=2015a|1p=22|2a1=Radkau|2y=2009|2pp=500–503}} In making this case, Weber argued that Russia was the only [[great power]] that actually desired the war.{{sfnm|1a1=Waters|1a2=Waters|1y=2015a|1p=20|2a1=Mommsen|2y=1997|2p=16}} He also regarded Germany as not having been culpable for [[German invasion of Belgium (1914)|its invasion of Belgium]], viewing Belgian neutrality as having obscured an alliance with [[French Third Republic|France]].{{sfn|Waters|Waters|2015a|pp=20, 22}} Overall, Weber's political efforts were largely unsuccessful, with the exception of his support for a democratically elected and strong presidency.{{sfnm|1a1=Kim|1y=2022|2a1=Kaesler|2y=2014|2pp=868–869|3a1=Honigsheim|3y=2017|3p=246}}

On 28 January 1919, after his electoral defeat, Weber delivered a lecture titled "[[Politics as a Vocation]]", which commented on the subject of politics.{{sfnm|1a1=Weber|1y=2004|1pp=xxxiv–xxxv|2a1=Radkau|2y=2009|2pp=514–515|3a1=Swedberg|3a2=Agevall|3y=2016|3pp=259–260}} It was prompted by the early [[Weimar Republic]]'s political turmoil and was requested by the Free Student Youth.{{sfnm|1a1=Radkau|1y=2009|1pp=514–518|2a1=Weber|2y=2004|2pp=xxxiv–xxxviii|3a1=Gane|3y=2002|3pp=64–65}} Shortly before he left to join the delegation in Versailles on 13 May 1919, Weber used his connections with the [[German National People's Party]]'s deputies to meet with [[Erich Ludendorff]]. He spent several hours unsuccessfully trying to convince Ludendorff to surrender himself to the [[Allies of World War I|Allies]].{{sfnm|1a1=Radkau|1y=2009|1pp=542–543|2a1=Kaesler|2y=2014|2p=883}} This debate also shifted to other subjects, such as who was culpable for Germany's defeat in the war. Weber thought that the [[Oberste Heeresleitung|German high command]] had failed, while Ludendorff regarded Weber as a democrat who was partially responsible for the revolution. Weber tried to disabuse him of that notion by expressing support for a democratic system with a strong executive. Since he held Ludendorff responsible for Germany's defeat in the war and having sent many young Germans to die on the battlefield, Weber thought that he should surrender himself and become a political martyr. However, Ludendorff was not willing to do so and instead wanted to live off of his pension.{{sfnm|1a1=Radkau|1y=2009|1p=543|2a1=Kaesler|2y=2014|2pp=884–887}}