The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Religious affiliation and social stratification

Stark differences in the educational attainment, people who own capital, employers and skilled workers. → They are primarily Protetstant. When differences in religion and nationality are found the differences are amplified. Part of this can be traced back to historical effects. Religious beliefs may seem to be the result of economic factors. Question arises as to what the reasons were for a greater than usual level of religious rebellion in the regions with higher economic development. Catholic authority was eliminated and substituted with an absolute penetration of religion in to every aspect of ones life.

The heretic must be punished but the sinner must be treated leniently’ - Old catholic saying

[Calvinism] would constitute for us today the most absolutely unbearable form of control by the church over the individual.

Religious reformists believed that the church had too little say in the lives of people

Catholic journeymen in the crafts were much more likely to become master craftsmen. Protestants were more likely to stream in to factories and become skilled workers and industrial managers. That Catholics did not go into business opposed the empirical rule of thumb that minorities would go in to business more often than they would go in to politics as they would often be excluded in Germany that is. It happens with jews and, certain catholics in Poland and in France. But it did not happen in Germany. Protestants tended much more towards economic rationalism. The difference in regions is also not as you would expect:

A delayed gratification and severity of life was common among french protestants and led to economic development
Lower class Catholics in France preferred more immediate gratification
Upper class Catholics in France were antagonistic to religion
Low status protestants in Germany went in to business
High status protestants were indifferent to religion

The spirit of capitalism

The concept and spirit of capitalism is difficult to define to Weber. The historical concept should’ order reality in to tangible causal connections that are stable and unique of character. He quotes Benjamin Franklin and his understanding of money. BF makes a point that credit is a very important concept for a man to understand. And that time lost is money lost. The central concept here in my thinking is the nature of compounding. That if you are careful with your time, it compounds. Not only to give you more money, but also more time. Uses the idea of capitalism as an ethical duty as defined by Franklin as the one he will use that defines the spirit of capitalism. This is the spirit of modern capitalism in Western Europe and in the US and not China, India etc. There is a utility to the virtues. The virtues as would have been traditionally understood by Catholicism, are now in use for the increasing of the ability to attain credit.

Luthers conception of the calling

Coming from the german word ‘beruf’

Weber makes the claim that the idea of a ‘calling’ didnt really exist among Catholics and in antiquity.

This is a ‘task’ given to you by God. Like a vocation, but outside of tehe clerical meaning of the word.

Weber makes the claim that the works of Johannes Tauler were the works which inspired luther on the idea of a calling.

The new idea that Weber talks about is that this calling and it’s fulfilment is the highest moral expression.

In many ways it is a contrast with the idea of contemptus Mundi, and is much like the idea of ‘love of the world and our work in it, as deigned by God’

Luther viewed the idea of monasticism as a loveless endeavour that was consumed by the ego and negelected the concerns of the world.

The contrast is primarily with Thomism it seems. Where Contemplation is seen as a higher calling. There are footnotes with reference to St.Paul ‘Whoever does not work, shall not eat’. And it is seen that Aquinas interpreted this maxim by St.Paul in a a specific way, which perhaps endorsed or helped form the idea of mendicantism.

Weber states that Luther would likely not have endorsed at all the mentality of Franklin and the idea of capitalism as it developed in the 1800-1900’s.

Makes a reference to Cromwel and his near complete support of a capitalist frame of mind. In that Cromwell believed that the irish were better served allowing trade to move back and forth, than they would have been if they had owned the whole of Ireland. And that it was this reason, that he legitimises the invasion and treatment of the irish. Where he references this extract from the writings of Cromwell:

Whois it that created this ‘common enemy’ (I suppose you mean Englishmen)? TheEnglish? Remember, yehypocrites, Irelandwas once united to England.“That was the original ‘union.’” Englishmen had good inheritances which many of them purchased with their money; they and their ancestors, from you and your ancestors. They had good Leases from Irishmen, for long times to come; great stocks thereupon; houses and plantations erected at their own cost and charge. They lived peaceably and honestly amongst you. You had generally equal benefit of the protection of England with them; and equal justice from the Laws, - saving what was necessary for the State, out of reasons of State, to put upon some few people, apt to rebel upon the instigation of such as you. You broke this ‘union’! You, unprovoked, put the English to the most unheard-of and most barbarous Massacre (without respect of sex or age) that ever the Sun beheld. And at a time when Ireland was in perfect Peace. And when, through the example of English Industry, through commerce and traffic, that which was in the Natives’ hands was better to them than if all Ireland had been in their possession, and not an Englishman in it. And yet then, I say, was this unheard-of villany perpetrated, - by your instigation, who boast of ‘peace-making’ and ‘union against this common enemy.’ What think you: by this time, is not my assertion true Is God, will God be, with you?

The Calling in Luthers eyes was more economically traditional. Luther relied more on the idea of predestination, and so the striving one was morally obliged towards, was a bounded striving. If you strove for wealth as a peasant, something was morally up and there was a lack of Grace from God.

The task of the investigation

Weber look at how the spirit of capitalism may have came about from the Protestant sects

Highlights that non of them would have explicitly strove for material goods as an end to it’s self

Weber emphasises the seriousness with which men like Menno Simons, George Fox and John Wesley took their specific obligation towards the salvation of their souls.

Weber claims to make no substantial evaluation of the idea that are observed vis a vis religious ideas from sects.

He notes that there are many forces that have led to the development of the modern world. But that the task of the investigation is only to look at the specific things in modern culture which could be attributed to the influence of Protestant reformation.

Weber makes a point of avoiding the idea, which I believe to be essentially historicism, that laws of economic development, or economic points of view can even come close to the complexity of these issues.

Puts the point forwards that:

Capitalism could have come about through other forces
That capitalism as economic system was not dogmatically as a result of the reformation

Instead, it should here be ascertained only whether, and to what extent, religious influences co-participated in the qualitative formation and quantitative expansion of this spirit across [Capitalism] the globe.

It is an investigation of whether ‘elective affinities’ between certain beliefs and the vocational ethic exist