韋伯的城市史研究是理解文明現代性的重要窗口。韋伯指出，現 代資本主義與現代國家之所以只崛起自西方，多少是因為作為現代文 明之先驅的城市，不曾在西方以外的地區出現過。辨識西方城市（作 為理念類型）的特殊性於是成為掌握現代性的關鍵線索。為此，韋伯 曾將西方城市形容為「非正當性支配」，並認為城市領袖和現代政黨 領袖一樣，都是非正當的統治者。不過，始終懸而未決的問題是：何 謂非正當性支配？
全文以重構非正當性支配之正當性基礎為主軸，先將市民圑體的 地域化確立為支配結構非正當化的歷史前提，接著說明地域圑體崛起 後在法律、行政以及軍事方面所掀起的革命，最後指出非正當性支配 的正當性基礎在於訴諸地域圑體一人民一的神聖不可侵犯性。

Max Weber’ s urban study informs an important approach to modernity. It is argued that neither modern capitalism nor modern state had sprung from the Orient, since city with full meanings can be found only in the Occident. In the context, the Occidental city is deliberately deciphered as “non-legitimate domination”, so as to distinguish from the Oriental city where legitimate authorities never lost their articulation. However, the question of what is the basis of legitimacy specific to the non-legitimate domination remains unanswered.
To answer the question, this paper will deploy as follow: firstly, the revolutionary emergence of territorial associations (i.e. “cities” in the past and “nations” nowadays) will be confirmed as the precondition of the nonlegitimate domination. Secondly, the revolution to which these territorial associations have led in terms of law, administration and military will be further documented. Finally, it will be concluded that the specific basis of legitimacy to non-legitimate domination is the sacrosanctity of territorial organization per se: the People.