Weber: Religion As A Force For Change

Question 0

The religious beliefs of what form of Protestantism helped to bring about major social change?

Answer 0

Calvinism

Question 1

What did Weber study in 1905?

Answer 1

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Question 2

What makes modern capitalism unique according to Weber?

Answer 2

It is based on the systematic, efficient and rational pursuit of profit for its own sake rather than for consumption

Question 3

What is modern capitalism based on?

Answer 3

The spirit of capitalism

Question 4

What are the four Calvinist beliefs?

Answer 4

Predestination, divine transcendence, asceticism and the idea of a vocation or calling

Question 5

What does the idea of predestination refer to?

Answer 5

It assumes that God had predetermined which souls would be saved - ‘the elect’ - and that individuals could do nothing whatsoever to change it

Question 6

What does the idea of divine transcendence refer to?

Answer 6

It assumes that God is so far above and beyond this world and so incomparably greater than any mortal, the no human could ever claim to know his will which lead the Calvinists to feel an ‘unprecedented inner loneliness’

Question 7

What does asceticism refer to?

Answer 7

This refers to abstinence, self-discipline and self-denial

Question 8

What is the idea of a vocation or calling?

Answer 8

The only thing that Calvinists knew of gods plan came from the bible which talks about the idea of glorifying gods name by our work which for the Calvinists, their calling or vocation meant constant, methodical work in an occupation, not a monastery

Question 9

What two consequences did the Calvinists hard work and asceticism lead to?

Answer 9

Their wealth and success performed a psychological function and driven by their work ethic, they systematically and methodically accumulated wealth by the most efficient and rational means possible which allowed their businesses to grow and prosper

Question 10

What does Weber acknowledge about other societies that had a higher level of economic development than Northern Europe?

Answer 10

He notes that they still failed to develop modern capitalism such as in ancient China and India who were far more materially advanced

Question 11

What reason does Weber provide for the failure of modern capitalism in such countries as China and India?

Answer 11

He argues that it was because of a lack of a religious belief system like that of Calvinism that would have spurred its development

Question 12

What does ‘other-worldly’ mean?

Answer 12

It directs its followers concerns away from the material world and towards the spiritual world

Question 13

What type of religion was Confucianism?

Answer 13

Confucianism is a this-worldly religion that directed its followers towards the material world, but unlike Calvinism it was not ascetic

Question 14

What was unique about Calvinism?

Answer 14

It combined asceticism with a this-worldly orientation that allowed the spirit of modern capitalism to emerge

Question 15

How do Marx and Webers views differ about how capitalism emerged?

Answer 15

Marx saw economic or material factors as the driving force for capitalism to emerge whereas weber argues that cultural factors have a role to play such as the beliefs and values of Calvinism

Question 16

How does Kautsky criticise Weber?

Answer 16

He argues that weber overestimates the role of ideas and underestimates economic factors in bringing capitalism into being. He argues that in fact capitalism preceded rather than followed Calvinism

Question 17

What alternative reason does Tawney provide for the birth of capitalism?

Answer 17

He argues that technological change, not religious ideas which caused the birth of capitalism

Question 18

How else is Weber criticised on his ideas about the emergence of capitalism?

Answer 18

Capitalism did not develop in every country where there were calvinists