commiecrusader
5th February 2006, 17:48
Hi all, this is an essay which I wrote for sociology. It's not that good but I found the subject matter quite interesting and also thought it provided further evidence as to the evils religion has caused throughout it's lifetime. Feel free to make comments :D
What for Weber was the contribution of Protestantism to the development of capitalism? Do you agree with his argument?
In this essay I will first briefly describe what Protestantism and capitalism are, before explaining what Webers ideas were concerning the role Protestantism played in the growth of capitalism. I will then examine some arguments against these ideas, before concluding whether I agree with Weber or not.
According to the Compact Oxford English Dictionary, Protestantism is a movement of Western Christian Churches that are separate from the Roman Catholic Church in accordance with the principles of the Reformation1. It is a religious movement predominantly followed in Europe and America. Capitalism is defined as an economic and political system in which a countrys trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state2. Weber draws a relationship between these apparently distinct ideologies.
The main evidence that Weber claims shows the relationship between Protestantism and capitalism is that there is a relatively much greater proportion of Protestants represented among owners of capital, management and the higher grades of labor3 as compared to the percentage of Protestants in the general population. He also says that not a fewof the American promoters, captains of industry, of the multi-millionaires and trust magnates belonged formally to sects4. This caused Weber to see a relationship between the two ideologies, and he sought to describe the reasons for this relationship in Capitalisms development. The first reason he describes for this relationship is that there is a fundamental difference between Catholics and Protestants. Quoting Machiavelli, Weber states that the Protestant likes to eat well, while the Catholic wants to sleep soundly5. By this, Weber indicates that the Catholic lifestyle is more puritanical; a lifestyle based upon humility and morality to be rewarded in heaven, whilst he suggests that Protestants are much more materialist, and seek to gain much more pleasure and wealth in the present, rather than waiting for the afterlife. Therefore, Weber is suggesting that with the development and spread of Protestantism following the Reformation by Henry VIII from 1532 onwards6 prepared Western society for the transition from Feudalism to Capitalism, by making people want to strive more for their own personal gain in material terms in the present, they no longer felt they had to wait for the afterlife. This led to a more materialist society, where personal gain is important. These are some of the traits commonly found in a capitalist society, and by having a religion that made these ideas more acceptable, an economic ideology that incorporated and facilitated these concepts was more likely to take hold and develop.
Another way in which Weber believes Protestantism encouraged the development of capitalism is through the impact that the Puritanical portion of Protestants had upon the idea of possessions and property. A Puritan is described as a person who wants to simplify and regulate forms of worship and, more importantly, has censorious moral beliefs, especially about self-indulgence and sex7. Weber says that because of this reluctance to indulge, members of the Puritan movement viewed possessions and rewards as gifts granted by God, they didnt like to use them or dispose of them but that the more possessions he acquires, the heavier becomes the feeling of responsibility to preserve them undiminished to Gods glory8. Weber believes that because possessions are a gift from God, Protestants felt honoured and rewarded to have them, and as such desired to gain more, representing how well-favoured they were by God. He also suggests that wealth and success within a capitalist society, if legally attained, was proof of his worth and of his state of grace9. This form of materialism creates a demand for products to buy, and in turn to be able to buy/obtain possessions people are required to work harder. This in turn almost by itself starts to create a capitalist economic model, with the exchange of labour for wealth and possessions, in turn fuelling an increased desire to work etc. In essence, Weber is suggesting that Protestantism created a force that was powerful enough to drive an economy that rewards hard work with increased wealth, and capitalism was the economic ideology that was born out of these demands.
Meeting these demands is made somewhat more efficient through the specialisation of labourers. For example, a chair will be made quicker if someone who is really skilled at making legs makes them and someone else makes the seat, than if one mediocre person makes both elements. The specialisation of the labour force is a key feature of the social ethic of capitalism, and Weber attributes the growth of this to the Protestant movement, in particular, the Calvinist sect. A key idea held by the Calvinists was that money-making success within the economy, was the result and the expression of diligence in ones calling10. In reality, ones calling translates as their professional occupation, and as such, a core belief of the Calvinists which quickly spread was that ones duty consists in pursuing ones calling, and that the individual should have a commitment to his professional activity11. This encourages people to become specialised in one area of work, to demonstrate their commitment. This encouraged the onset of capitalism, because whereas, to use the previous analogy, a person who can make a whole chair can then sell it himself, a person who can only make one part of it requires other people to build the rest and then assemble the chair, and on a larger scale, probably requires people to oversee the operation etc. This is a fundamental aspect of capitalism, as it means that the working class proletariat have to sell their specialised labour to the bourgeois upper class, which owns the actual means of production. Many monasteries were run by dividing the labour among the monks who would specialise in particular tasks before the reformation, and the subsequent destruction of the monastic communities led to these work methods being observed and indeed, the monks would have needed to continue to work to get by, thereby dispersing these methods throughout their communities12. This shows that the process by the Calvinists of defining a persons worth in the eyes of God led to a situation where the workforce became segregated and mutually dependent, which encouraged the onset of capitalism.
There are however ideas that conflict with those of Weber. Amintore Fanfani argues that Europe was acquainted with capitalism before the Protestant revolt and that For at least a century capitalism had been an ever growing collective force.13. Fanfani claims that the instinct to hoard wealth is a universal trait amongst all foreign groups in new locations, a situation that many Protestants found themselves in due to the controversial nature of their split from the Church of Rome14. I would disagree with this idea however, as it is surely equally possible for new immigrants to try and integrate into the situation in which they find themselves, and there is much psychological evidence to support the idea of conforming to the norms of the culture one finds oneself in. Fanfani also suggests that in fact many of the Protestant reformers were unaware of the consequences of their reforms, and that they did not desire, and which often differed from or conflicted with all that they hoped to obtain by their ideals15. This seems somewhat of a dubious claim however, since if the Protestants were in a position to be making reforms, they were surely in a position to stop any unwanted effects these reforms were having, but chose not to.
In conclusion, I agree with Weber that the rise of the Protestant faith and the sects within it did indeed encourage the onset of capitalism, since all the changes Protestantism brought about, such as the specialisation and division of labour, the focus on accumulating wealth, and the demand economy it created all facilitated the development of a capitalist economy. Fanfanis comments to the contrary seem to hold little actual substance, and their seems to be little evidence to support them. I would however agree that perhaps capitalism was beginning to develop before the Reformation, but it is indisputable that the Reformation increased the speed with which capitalism took hold and indeed, spread throughout the Western World.
References:
1. Soanes, C., Hawker, S., Compact Oxford Dictionary of Current English, 2005
2. Soanes, C., Hawker, S., Compact Oxford Dictionary of Current English, 2005
3. Weber, M., The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism and Other Writings, 2002, p.1
4. Weber, M., The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism, in Gerth, H. H., & Wright Mills, C., From Max Weber: Essays in sociology, 1970, p.308
5. Machiavelli, N., History of Florence, Book III, Chapter 7; cited in Weber, M., The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism and Other Writings, 2002, p.5
6. Pettegree, A., The English Reformation, 2001, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/state/church_...mation_02.shtml (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/state/church_reformation/english_reformation_02.shtml)
7. Soanes, C., Hawker, S., Compact Oxford Dictionary of Current English, 2005
8. Weber, M., The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism and Other Writings, 2002, p.115
9. Weber, M., The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism, in Gerth, H. H., & Wright Mills, C., From Max Weber: Essays in sociology, 1970, p.322
10. Weber, M., The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism and Other Writings, 2002, p.12
11. Weber, M., The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism and Other Writings, 2002, p.13
12. Pritchard, F., & Aikenhead, M., http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dla0www/c_tour/monks.html
13. Fanfani, A., Catholicism, Protestantism and Capitalism, 1939, p.183
14. Fanfani, A., Catholicism, Protestantism and Capitalism, 1939, p.186
15. Fanfani, A., Catholicism, Protestantism and Capitalism, 1939, p.191
What for Weber was the contribution of Protestantism to the development of capitalism? Do you agree with his argument?
In this essay I will first briefly describe what Protestantism and capitalism are, before explaining what Webers ideas were concerning the role Protestantism played in the growth of capitalism. I will then examine some arguments against these ideas, before concluding whether I agree with Weber or not.
According to the Compact Oxford English Dictionary, Protestantism is a movement of Western Christian Churches that are separate from the Roman Catholic Church in accordance with the principles of the Reformation1. It is a religious movement predominantly followed in Europe and America. Capitalism is defined as an economic and political system in which a countrys trade and industry are controlled by private owners for profit, rather than by the state2. Weber draws a relationship between these apparently distinct ideologies.
The main evidence that Weber claims shows the relationship between Protestantism and capitalism is that there is a relatively much greater proportion of Protestants represented among owners of capital, management and the higher grades of labor3 as compared to the percentage of Protestants in the general population. He also says that not a fewof the American promoters, captains of industry, of the multi-millionaires and trust magnates belonged formally to sects4. This caused Weber to see a relationship between the two ideologies, and he sought to describe the reasons for this relationship in Capitalisms development. The first reason he describes for this relationship is that there is a fundamental difference between Catholics and Protestants. Quoting Machiavelli, Weber states that the Protestant likes to eat well, while the Catholic wants to sleep soundly5. By this, Weber indicates that the Catholic lifestyle is more puritanical; a lifestyle based upon humility and morality to be rewarded in heaven, whilst he suggests that Protestants are much more materialist, and seek to gain much more pleasure and wealth in the present, rather than waiting for the afterlife. Therefore, Weber is suggesting that with the development and spread of Protestantism following the Reformation by Henry VIII from 1532 onwards6 prepared Western society for the transition from Feudalism to Capitalism, by making people want to strive more for their own personal gain in material terms in the present, they no longer felt they had to wait for the afterlife. This led to a more materialist society, where personal gain is important. These are some of the traits commonly found in a capitalist society, and by having a religion that made these ideas more acceptable, an economic ideology that incorporated and facilitated these concepts was more likely to take hold and develop.
Another way in which Weber believes Protestantism encouraged the development of capitalism is through the impact that the Puritanical portion of Protestants had upon the idea of possessions and property. A Puritan is described as a person who wants to simplify and regulate forms of worship and, more importantly, has censorious moral beliefs, especially about self-indulgence and sex7. Weber says that because of this reluctance to indulge, members of the Puritan movement viewed possessions and rewards as gifts granted by God, they didnt like to use them or dispose of them but that the more possessions he acquires, the heavier becomes the feeling of responsibility to preserve them undiminished to Gods glory8. Weber believes that because possessions are a gift from God, Protestants felt honoured and rewarded to have them, and as such desired to gain more, representing how well-favoured they were by God. He also suggests that wealth and success within a capitalist society, if legally attained, was proof of his worth and of his state of grace9. This form of materialism creates a demand for products to buy, and in turn to be able to buy/obtain possessions people are required to work harder. This in turn almost by itself starts to create a capitalist economic model, with the exchange of labour for wealth and possessions, in turn fuelling an increased desire to work etc. In essence, Weber is suggesting that Protestantism created a force that was powerful enough to drive an economy that rewards hard work with increased wealth, and capitalism was the economic ideology that was born out of these demands.
Meeting these demands is made somewhat more efficient through the specialisation of labourers. For example, a chair will be made quicker if someone who is really skilled at making legs makes them and someone else makes the seat, than if one mediocre person makes both elements. The specialisation of the labour force is a key feature of the social ethic of capitalism, and Weber attributes the growth of this to the Protestant movement, in particular, the Calvinist sect. A key idea held by the Calvinists was that money-making success within the economy, was the result and the expression of diligence in ones calling10. In reality, ones calling translates as their professional occupation, and as such, a core belief of the Calvinists which quickly spread was that ones duty consists in pursuing ones calling, and that the individual should have a commitment to his professional activity11. This encourages people to become specialised in one area of work, to demonstrate their commitment. This encouraged the onset of capitalism, because whereas, to use the previous analogy, a person who can make a whole chair can then sell it himself, a person who can only make one part of it requires other people to build the rest and then assemble the chair, and on a larger scale, probably requires people to oversee the operation etc. This is a fundamental aspect of capitalism, as it means that the working class proletariat have to sell their specialised labour to the bourgeois upper class, which owns the actual means of production. Many monasteries were run by dividing the labour among the monks who would specialise in particular tasks before the reformation, and the subsequent destruction of the monastic communities led to these work methods being observed and indeed, the monks would have needed to continue to work to get by, thereby dispersing these methods throughout their communities12. This shows that the process by the Calvinists of defining a persons worth in the eyes of God led to a situation where the workforce became segregated and mutually dependent, which encouraged the onset of capitalism.
There are however ideas that conflict with those of Weber. Amintore Fanfani argues that Europe was acquainted with capitalism before the Protestant revolt and that For at least a century capitalism had been an ever growing collective force.13. Fanfani claims that the instinct to hoard wealth is a universal trait amongst all foreign groups in new locations, a situation that many Protestants found themselves in due to the controversial nature of their split from the Church of Rome14. I would disagree with this idea however, as it is surely equally possible for new immigrants to try and integrate into the situation in which they find themselves, and there is much psychological evidence to support the idea of conforming to the norms of the culture one finds oneself in. Fanfani also suggests that in fact many of the Protestant reformers were unaware of the consequences of their reforms, and that they did not desire, and which often differed from or conflicted with all that they hoped to obtain by their ideals15. This seems somewhat of a dubious claim however, since if the Protestants were in a position to be making reforms, they were surely in a position to stop any unwanted effects these reforms were having, but chose not to.
In conclusion, I agree with Weber that the rise of the Protestant faith and the sects within it did indeed encourage the onset of capitalism, since all the changes Protestantism brought about, such as the specialisation and division of labour, the focus on accumulating wealth, and the demand economy it created all facilitated the development of a capitalist economy. Fanfanis comments to the contrary seem to hold little actual substance, and their seems to be little evidence to support them. I would however agree that perhaps capitalism was beginning to develop before the Reformation, but it is indisputable that the Reformation increased the speed with which capitalism took hold and indeed, spread throughout the Western World.
References:
1. Soanes, C., Hawker, S., Compact Oxford Dictionary of Current English, 2005
2. Soanes, C., Hawker, S., Compact Oxford Dictionary of Current English, 2005
3. Weber, M., The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism and Other Writings, 2002, p.1
4. Weber, M., The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism, in Gerth, H. H., & Wright Mills, C., From Max Weber: Essays in sociology, 1970, p.308
5. Machiavelli, N., History of Florence, Book III, Chapter 7; cited in Weber, M., The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism and Other Writings, 2002, p.5
6. Pettegree, A., The English Reformation, 2001, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/state/church_...mation_02.shtml (http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/state/church_reformation/english_reformation_02.shtml)
7. Soanes, C., Hawker, S., Compact Oxford Dictionary of Current English, 2005
8. Weber, M., The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism and Other Writings, 2002, p.115
9. Weber, M., The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism, in Gerth, H. H., & Wright Mills, C., From Max Weber: Essays in sociology, 1970, p.322
10. Weber, M., The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism and Other Writings, 2002, p.12
11. Weber, M., The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism and Other Writings, 2002, p.13
12. Pritchard, F., & Aikenhead, M., http://www.dur.ac.uk/~dla0www/c_tour/monks.html
13. Fanfani, A., Catholicism, Protestantism and Capitalism, 1939, p.183
14. Fanfani, A., Catholicism, Protestantism and Capitalism, 1939, p.186
15. Fanfani, A., Catholicism, Protestantism and Capitalism, 1939, p.191