Max Weber- widely promulgated as one of the founding father of sociology, in his influential work ‘Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism’ (1905) located a positive relationship between the Protestant ethics and the spirit of capitalism. He highlights how protestant ethics is closely associated with the spirit of capitalism, which contradicts the prevailing notion of religion and economy being poles apart. He substantiates this idea with the help of ‘ideal types’ i.e. by constructing the ideal types of both, the Protestant ethics and capitalism.
Occupational
stats-
Christianity is broadly split into three branches: Catholic, Protestant and (Eastern) Orthodox and Weber explains that the occupational statistics of any country (especially Germany), suggests that majority of the upper-rank skilled and capitalist people are PROTESTANT. Even the percentage of Protestant students studying and graduating from technical and industrial jobs is far more than Catholics. In short, Protestants have shown more economic development as compared to Catholics, and this differentiation is the direct by product of one’s environment as well as the type of education which one gets from the religious atmosphere and could be perceived through their religious beliefs rather than historic situations.
Weber argues that Catholics believe in asceticism, piety, a life
of greatest security, even with a low economic condition, whereas Protestants
believe more in participation in capitalism and economic fields and so the
ethics of protestants are the driving force behind their economic wellness. He suggested that Protestantism was a
significant cause in the choice of these occupations and, conversely, that
other religions (for example, Roman Catholicism) failed to produce idea systems
that impelled individuals into these vocations.
Spirit of capitalism-
According to Weber, the capitalists desired wealth not for
enjoyment or luxurious living. They wanted it so that they could use it to make
more wealth. The thirst for money-making for its own sake is the very essence
of modern capitalism. Capitalism thus, is an economic system which aims at the
unlimited accumulation of profit through the rational organisation of
production.
Weber contrasted this work-ethic of capitalism with another type
which he termed traditionalism. Here, workers prefer less work to more pay and
are unwilling to take up new work-methods and techniques. Therefore traditionalism
hampers the growth of capitalism. Capitalism stresses individualism, innovation
and the relentless pursuit of profit. Traditionalism, as described above, is
characterised by a much less disciplined and efficient system of production.
You have just seen that the spirit of capitalism is a work-ethic which calls
for accumulation of wealth for its own sake. To do so, work has to be organised
in an efficient, disciplined manner. Hard work is a virtue that carries
intrinsic rewards.
Unlike “traditionalism”, the spirit of capitalism demands
individualism, innovation, hard work and the pursuit of wealth for its own
sake. It is thus an economic ethic unlike any in the past.
In short, he gave certain ideal types of capitalism.
Ideal types of capitalism- reinvestment
to proliferate wealth , profit maximization, value of time , and rise of
individualism.
The Protestant Ethic: Features
Influencing the Development of Capitalism
Protestantism arose in the sixteenth century in Europe in the
period known as the Reformation. Its founding fathers like Martin Luther and
John Calvin broke away from the Catholic Church. They felt that the Church had
become too immersed in doctrines and rituals and had lost touch with the common
people. Greed, corruption and vice had gripped the Church. Priests had a life-style
more suitable for princes. The Protestant sects that sprang up all over Europe
tried to recapture the lost spirit of the Church. They stressed simplicity,
austerity and devotion. Calvinism founded by the Frenchman John Calvin was one
such sect. The followers of Calvin in England were known as the Puritans. They
migrated to the continent of North America and were the founders of the
American nation.
Weber observed that in the West, it was by and large the
Protestants who had made greatest progress in education and employment. They
were the top bureaucrats, the most skilled technical workers and the leading
industrialists. Weber linked their progress with their religious ethics. The
brand of capitalism that Weber was most interested in was Calvinism and an
examination of its main features would show us how there is the link between
religion and economy.
Main Features of Calvinism
As said before, for showing the link between religion and economy
or in this particular case between the spirit of Capitalism and Calvinism, let
us first discuss the main features of Calvinism.
Image of God
God, said Calvin, was all powerful, transcendent and accumulation
of wealth brings glory to god. So the more wealth is accumulated, the more
glory will be attached to the god.
Doctrine of Pre-destination
Calvinism believes that certain persons are chosen or ‘elected’ by
God to enter Heaven while the rest are damned. The ‘chosen’ will reach Heaven
no matter what they do on Earth. We cannot bribe God to give us a place in Heaven
through prayers or sacrifice. As this Will is unknowable, we cannot change it.
Even no priest can tell whether one is chosen or not. They could
know by prospering on Earth. Their material prosperity would be the symbol or
token of their election. He would work for the glory of God.
The -worldly asceticism
Asceticism implies strict self-discipline, control and conquest of
desires. In Protestantism, particularly Calvinism, Weber detected this-worldly asceticism.
It stressed rigorous self-discipline in order to master the environment. A
simple, frugal life-style was recommended along with hard work. Worldly or
sensual pleasures were viewed with horror; fine clothes, dance and music,
theatre and novels came from the Devil as they would divert a person from
working for the glory of God. Leisure and wasting time are considered sin. Thus
there was only one outlet for money i.e. It was to be reinvested and hence used to make
more money. Not a moment was to be idled away as “work is worship” and “time is
money”.
The notion of “calling”
The concept of calling has a religious explanation which means a
task set by God. The Calvinist ethics, holds that all work is important and
sacred and It is not mere work, it is a calling or a mission and should be
performed with devotion and sincerity.
Thus, the economic activity was given a religious significance
through the concept of calling. According to Luther, the concept of calling has
a divine ordinance directly from God, and one should fulfill it. Everyone in
this world has been assigned a particular duty by God, and also a particular
position so, one should fulfill those obligations in order to live acceptably
by god in the world.
This emphasis on hard work and time, was not confined to
Calvinists alone. It was a common feature of all Protestant sects. For example-
in pietism, members of live a life which is free from temptations of the world
and follow all the details which are dictated to them by god. They also believe
that if one has a higher certainty of grace and perfection, this is regarded as
a sign of grace, and god gives signs to those who wait patiently and continue
with the state of perfection.
The idea that of hard work and rime utilization and accumulation
of wealth for the glory of god- is their main principle. Weber summarised the
protestant ethic in five points
Tenets of Protestantism-
a) There exists an absolute transcendent God who created the world
and rules it, but who is incomprehensible and inaccessible to the finite minds
of men.
b) This all powerful and mysterious God had predestined each of us
to salvation or damnation, so that we cannot by our works alter a divine decree
which was made before we were born.
c) God created the world for His own glory.
d) Whether he is to be saved or damned, man is obliged to work for
the glory of God and to create the Kingdom of God on earth.
e) Earthly things, human nature, and flesh belong to the order of
sin and death and salvation can come to man only through divine grace.
This helped to create a disciplined and dedicated workforce
without which capitalism could not have emerged. Hard work, saving and re-investment and the desire to prosper have
a strong affinity with the “spirit of capitalism” which you we have seen
earlier.
Thus, According to Weber, it was the ideas, beliefs, values and
world-view of human societies that guided the way their members acted, even in
the economic sphere. As has already been mentioned, religion prescribes certain
guidelines of behaviour. It is in accordance with these guidelines that
followers direct or orient their activities. These guidelines are incorporated
in the body of religious ethics of each religious system.
Protestant Work day and night and not enjoy the fruits of that
labour , keeping in mind the doctrine of “pre-destination” and the need to
prosper to prove one’s “election” by God. Weber states that, religious beliefs set
guidelines for action, they motivate us to behave in a certain manner.
This way Weber concludes
that, there were certain affinities between the Protestant religious ethics and
the economic system known as capitalism. These affinities, said Weber, helped
capitalism to grow in the western world.
Criticisms-
Weber’s work on protestant ethics and the spirit of capitalism has
been criticised on many grounds. Critics say that Rather than Protestantism leading to
capitalism, it may be the case that individuals and communities who were more
prone to capitalism were also more likely to adopt Protestantism. Also some
point out that Protestantism
has indeed influenced positively the capitalist development of respective
social systems not so much through the "Protestant ethics", but
rather through the promotion of literacy.
Weber's conclusion has also been
criticizing for ignoring the ethnic dimensions. Weber focused on religion, but
ignored the fact that Germany contained a large Polish minority
which also affected its economy.
Appreciation-
However it
should be noted that Max Weber’s essay, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit
of Capitalism, is generally considered his most important as well as his
most famous work And it establishes a positive relation between religion and
economy which was the newest conception, different from the prevailing
predominant notion that religion is detrimental to economic growth. This work
opened wide range of areas in sociology. Weber, later on moved beyond
Protestantism with his research but would continue research into sociology of religion within his later, And
many sociologists further developed the concept.
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