Replace “Pariah” with “Deserter”: An Analysis of Max Weber’s Ancient Jewish Nation

Abstract

Pariah is a term refers to the low-caste people of the Indian society. Max Weber used it to describe the ancient Jewish nation, which mainly because the religious ritual segregation and the national stateless diaspora of the Jews. Under the guidance of the Israel prophets, the Jewish diaspora gradually segregated with the outside world and formed some kind of inferior nature, which same as the so-called “Pariah nation”. However, the Jews’ isolation was derived from their strict observance of the holy law, and their inferiority was due to the divine glory they eagerly awaited. “Holiness” and “glory” did not match the image of “Pariah” presented by Weber. Because the Jewish nation consisted of the Jewish tribes that had “deserted” the whole Israel, at the same time, in the process of nation-formation, the Jewish religion also evolved into the Rabbinic Judaism which “deserted” the traditional temple worship, at it is replace “Pariah” with “deserter” is more closer to the image and situation of the ancient Jewish nation in Max Weber’s works.