Theroies Of Religion - Postmods

Question 1

What do post-modernist argue religion is a force for

Answer 1

Change

Question 2

What’s the webers argument?

Answer 2

-He believes that religion actually contributed to one of the most significant social changes in history
-The development of capitalism
-From comparative studies he found that similar economic conditions existed in China India and Europe for capitalism only developed in Europe.
-He noted that capitalism had developed in those parts of Europe where a particularly set of Protestant beliefs known as Calvinism were dominant
-He concluded that Calvinism brought about the right cultural climate for capitalist ideas to develop.

Question 3

What did Calvinists believe in?

Answer 3

-The teaching of predestination was vital
-They believe that a certain number of people would go to heaven
-One way to find out if they were going to heaven was to see if they were successful
-So many adopted the Protestant work ethic of thrift hard work and modesty
-If they were economically successful, then they would take this as a sign they would go to heaven
-This led to rapid accumulation of capital and the emergence of a Calvinist capitalist class.
-This was also paired with other pre-conditions such as a mobile workforce and natural resources
-Therefore Calvinism helped to bring about capitalism because a uniquely promoted and ascentic lifestyle with a worldly orientation which spread capitalism.

Question 4

Evaluation of Webers view

Answer 4

Kautsky set suggested that capitalism predicated Calvinism. The bourgeoisie capitalists were attracted to it because it offered convenient justification for the pursuit of economic interest.
Therefore, protestant religion was an ideology used to legitimate capitalist interest .