Weber: Religion as a Force for Change Flashcards
Outline Weber’s example of religion as a force for change
Weber’s study of The Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism, where the religious beliefs of Calvinism helped to bring major social change.
What is the spirit of capitalism?
- Weber notes that in past societies had capitalism in the sense of greed for wealth.
- But modern society is based on the systematic, efficient, ration pursuit of profit for its own sake, rather than consumption, this is called the spirit of capitalism.
- This spirit has elective affinity (unconscious similarity to the Calvinist beliefs and attitudes.
Outline the 4 main beliefs of Calvinism
- Predestination
- Divine transcendence
- Asceticism
- The idea of vocation or calling
Describe the Calvinist belief of predestination
- God has predetermined which should would be saved or not, before birth.
- Individuals could do nothing to change this. Even with their good deeds or faith, God has made his decision and can’t be altered.
Describe the Calvinist belief of divine transcendence
- God is so immortal and great that no human can claim to know his will (including priests)
- This leaves Calvinists to feel ‘an unprecedented inner loneliness’. This combined with predestination created salvation panic. Where they don’t know if they will be sabed, and they can’t do anything to earn salvation.
Describe the Calvinist belief of ascetism
- Refers to abstinence, self-discipline and self denial
- e.g. monks refrain from luxury, wear simple clothes and devote themselves to God.
Describe the Calvinist belief of the idea of vocation or calling
- Before Calvinism, religious vocation (a calling to serve God) meant renouncing everyday life to join a monastery, called other-worldly asceticism.
- But, Calvinism introduced the idea of this-worldly asceticism. Where we work to glorify Gods name, through methodical work in society (as a religious duty)
Describe the psychological functions of the Calvinist beliefs
- Their wealth and success allowed them cope with their salvation panic.
- As they grew wealthier, they took this as a sign of God’s favour and their salvation, as they thought that was the reason in why they prospered.
Describe how Calvinist beliefs perform the function of reinforcing spirit of modern capitalism
- Driven by their work ethic, they systematically and methodically accumulated wealth by the most efficient and rational means possible.
- By not spending money on luxuries, they reinvested in their businesses, producing further profit to reinvest. Weber argues this is the spirit of capitalism.
Describe why capitalism didn’t develop in ancient societies
- Weber argues while ancient China and India were materially more advanced than Europe, capitalism didn’t develop due to the lack of religious beliefs that would have spurred tis development
-e.g. In ancient India, while Hinduism was an ascetic religion, its orientation was other-worldly (it directing its followers towards the spiritual world). - In ancient China, Confucianism was this-worldly religion that directed its followers to the material world, but it wasn’t ascetic.
Give evaluation for Weber’s work (technological change caused capitalism)
- Tawney argues that technological change, not religion, caused the birth of capitalism
- It was only after capitalism was established, that the bourgeoises adopted Calvinist beliefs to legitimate their pursuit of economic gain.
Give evaluation for Weber’s work (capitalism didn’t in every country with Calvinism)
- Weber has been criticises as capitalism didn’t in every country where there were Calvinist.
- e.g. Scotland had a large Calvinist population but was slow to develop capitalism
- However, Marshall argue that this was because of a lack of investment capital and skilled labour (supporting Weber’s point that both material and cultural factors need to be present for capitalism to emerge)
