empty character" of Heinrich Rickert's neo-Kantian philosophy of value. Mayer viewed Weber's value theory as a nihilistic contribution to the rise of National Socialism. Wolfgang J. Mommsen initiated debate by arguing that in the 1959 German publication of Max Weber and German Politics 1890–1920. Mommsen questioned the sociologist's liberal reputation. According to Mommsen, Weber's sociological idea of charismatic authority was evident in his political views and was "close to fascist notions of plebiscitary leadership." Mommsen wrote that Weber's theory of democracy "lent itself all too readily to an authoritarian reinterpretation" Mommsen also associated Weber with the rise of Hitler: "Weber's teachings concerning charismatic leadership coupled with the radical formulation of the meaning of democratic institutions, contributed to making the German people inwardly ready to acclaim the leadership position of Adolf Hitler." Weber's call for the democratic reform of the Wilhelmine state and his involvement in the drafting of the Weimar Constitution, had led German intellectuals in the 1950s to consider him as an authority who could justify the democratic character of the new Federal Republic of Germany. Mommsen's thesis, that Max Weber supported parliamentary democracy as a means to serve the power interests of the German nation-state, met a sharp response because, in Raymond Aron's words, that removed "the new German democracy of a 'founding father,' a glorious ancestor, and a spokesman of genius." Politics and sociology Weber's political views have been considered to threaten the reputation of his sociology. Günther Roth, Reinhard Bendix and Karl Loewenstein have defended Weberian sociology by arguing that it stands separate from his political convictions. They consider Weber's distinction between scientific value neutrality and evaluative politics to support this claim. In their view, Weber's politics should be interpreted as separate from the interpretation of his sociology. This idea was rejected by Mommsen. Mommsen wrote of continuities between Weber's "value-neutral" sociology and his "evaluative" politics. The second edition of Max Weber and German Politics 1890-1920 argued that "values and science, in Weber's thought, were interdependent." Critics were dismissed as attempting "to shield Max Weber's sociological works against any possible criticism based on political aspects." Roth responded in a 1965 American sociological journal, stating that Weber was a major target for a series of critiques aimed at political sociology in general, if not at most of social science. Roth also stated that Mommsen was removed from the interest of American sociologists in Weber and that Mommsen's