Beliefs - Religion & Social Change - 5.2 Flashcards
How can Religion be seen as a conservative force?
Keeps things as they are, gives stability & social order, maintains beliefs on running of society, preserves the status quo.
Theories seeing religion as conservative force
> Functionalism (Consensus)
Marxism (Social Control)
Feminism (Social Control)
Functionalism (Consensus)
> Maintains social solidarity stops disintegration, through value consensus and dealing with stress.
> Agent of socialisation, maintains status quo, provides cultural basis for norms & values - legitimating them.
> e.g. Malinowski, Parsons, Durkheim
Marxism & Feminism (Social Control)
> Marxists & Feminists see religion as means of social control, in interests of powerful
> e.g. Marx - Ideological Weapon & false class consciousness, Feminism - Patriarchy & Subordination
Weber’s General View on Religion as Force for Social Change
Calvinism brought about spirit of capitalism based on pursuit of profit for its own sake rather than spending it on luxuries.
4 Main Calvinist Beliefs
> Predestination
Divine Transcendence
Asceticism
Vocation
Predestination
God’s predetermined souls saved ‘’the elect’’. This is decided from birth and is unchangeable
Divine Transcendence
God’s so great, no human can know his will, caused salvation panic in Calvinists, they didn’t know whether they’ll be going to hell or not.
Asceticism
Abstinence, self discipline & self denial, refraining from luxury, avoiding excess.
Vocation
Constant, methodical hard work in a job, but had no impact on salvation.
Response to Calvinist Beliefs
> Working hard was a solution to anxiety caused by beliefs on predestination, success could be sign of god’s favour & their salvation.
> Profit gained would be reinvested back into their businesses as they must live ascetically, to produce further profit.
Why has Capitalism failed in other countries?
> Due to lack of belief in system like calvinism, despite having factors e.g. trade, economy & legal system
> Lacked drive to accumulate wealth, calvinism was unique for capitalism to emerge.
Hinduism - Failure of Capitalism
Ancient India was ascetic religion, but was otherworldly focused on spiritual world.
Confucianism - Failure of Capitalism
Ancient China, despite being a worldly & material religion, it wasn’t ascetic.
A03 Key Sociologists for Weber & Calvinism
> Kautsky
Tawney
Parkin
Kautsky A03 - Calvinism
Capitalism already existed before Calvinism, only purpose of it was to justify ruling class domination & continue myth of divine inequality.
Tawney A03 - Calvinism
Technological changes not religious ideas led to capitalism, bourgeoisie adopted Calvinist beliefs to justify pursuit of economic gain.
Parkin A03 - Calvinism
Capitalism late to develop in Scotland despite presence of calvinism.
4 Factors outlined by McGuire & Robinson determining if religion is a conservative force or a force for social change
- Nature & Extent of Religious Belief
- Significance of Religion in Society
- Extent of Social Involvement of Religion
- Extent of Central Authority in Religious Organisations
Nature & Extent of Reg Belief - McGuire
If people hold religious beliefs, conflicting with society, religion leads to criticism of society & attempt to change it.
Significance of Religion in Society - McGuire
If religion is a central part of cultural & daily life more likely to be force for social change.