What did max weber claim was the central force of social change?

Max Weber claimed that the central force of social change was the influence of ideas and values, particularly through the lens of religion and culture. He argued that the Protestant ethic, for instance, played a significant role in the development of capitalism by promoting values like hard work, thrift, and individualism. Weber emphasized that these cultural factors could drive economic and social transformations, highlighting the interplay between ideas and material conditions in shaping society.