The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism is a book written by Max Weber, a German economist and sociologist in 1904 and 1905 that began as a series of essays. The original edition was in German and was entitled: Die protestantische Ethik und der 'Geist' des Kapitalismus. An English translation was made in 1930 and several editions have been released. Look up book in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Maximilian Weber (April 21, 1864 – June 14, 1920) was a German political economist and sociologist who is considered one of the founders of the modern, antipositivistic study of sociology and public administration. ... An economist is someone who studies Economics. ... Sociology is the study of the social lives of humans, groups and societies. ... 1904 is a leap year starting on a Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1905 (MCMV) was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... An essay is a short work that treats a topic from an authors personal point of view, often taking into account subjective experiences and personal reflections upon them. ... 1930 (MCMXXX) is a common year starting on Wednesday. ...

Weber wrote that capitalism evolved when the Protestant (particularly Calivinist) ethic influenced large numbers of people to engage in work in the secular world, developing their own enterprises and engaging in trade and the accumulation of wealth for investment. In other words, the Protestant ethic was a force behind an unplanned and uncoordinated mass action that led to the development of capitalism. This idea is also known as "the Weber thesis". Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Capitalism The page is about the economic system. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... Calvinism is a soteriological system of Christian theology advanced by John Calvin, a Protestant Reformer in the 16th century, and further developed by his followers, associates and admirers. ... Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the science (study) of morality. In philosophy, ethical behavior is that which is good or right. ... Enterprise (occasionally archaically spelt enterprize) can refer to any of the following: // Psychology an attitude or a character trait conducive to undertaking bold ventures or actions, especially ventures involving risk a bold venture, particularly one of exploration or one that seeks inordinate profit Boldness, energy, and invention in practical affairs. ... A fruit stand at a market. ... Wealth usually refers to money and property. ... For chemistry term, see law of mass action Mass action in sociology refers to the situations where large number of people behave simultaneously in similar way but individaully and without coordiantion. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Capitalism The page is about the economic system. ...

Cover of one of the many editions of Weber's work.

cover of book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism This image is a book cover. ... cover of book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism This image is a book cover. ...

Book contents

It is argued that the book should not be viewed as a detailed study of Protestantism but rather as an introduction into Weber's later works, especially his studies of interaction between various religious ideas and economics. Protestantism is a movement within Christianity, representing a split from within the Roman Catholic Church during the mid-to-late Renaissance in Europe —a period known as the Protestant Reformation. ...

In The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Weber puts forward the thesis that Puritan ethics and ideas had influenced the development of capitalism. However, religious devotion was usually accompanied by rejection of worldly affairs, including the pursuit of wealth and possessions. Why was that not the case with Protestantism? Weber addresses this apparent paradox in the book. The Puritans were members of a group of English Protestants seeking further reforms or even separation from the established church during the Reformation. ... Ethics is a general term for what is often described as the science (study) of morality. In philosophy, ethical behavior is that which is good or right. ... IDEA may refer to: Electronic Directory of the European Institutions IDEA League Improvement and Development Agency Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance Integrated Data Environments Australia Intelligent Database Environment for Advanced Applications IntelliJ IDEA - a Java IDE Interactive Database for Energy-efficient Architecture International Data... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Capitalism The page is about the economic system. ... Listen to this article · (info) This audio file was created from the revision dated 2005-07-07, and does not reflect subsequent edits to the article. ...

He defines spirit of capitalism as the ideas and habits that favour the rational pursuit of economic gain. Weber points out that such a spirit is not limited to Western culture if one considers it as the attitude of individuals, but that such individuals — heroic entrepreneurs, as he calls them — could not by themselves establish a new economic order (capitalism). The most common tendencies were the greed for profit with minimum effort and the idea that work was a curse and burden to be avoided especially when it exceeded what was enough for modest life. As he wrote in his essays: The German economist and sociologist Max Weber in his essay Die protestantische Ethik und der Geist des Kapitalismus, 1904-05 (translated as The Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism, (rev. ... A habit is the usual condition or state of a person or thing, either natural or acquired, regarded as something had, possessed, and firmly retained. ... Rationalism, also known as the rationalist movement, is a philosophical doctrine that asserts that the truth can best be discovered by reason and factual analysis, rather than faith, dogma or religious teaching. ... Economics (deriving from the Greek words οίκω [okos], house, and νέμω [nemo], rules hence household management) is the social science that studies the allocation of scarce resources to satisfy unlimited wants. ... This article needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of quality. ... The English word spirit comes from the Latin spiritus, meaning breath. ... Leonardo da Vincis Vitruvian Man, for many a symbol of the changes of the Western culture during the Renaissance Western culture refers to the culture that has developed in the Western world. ... In common speech, the word individual most often refers to a person, or, by analogy, to any specific object in a group of things. ... Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Capitalism The page is about the economic system. ...

In order that a manner of life well adapted to the peculiarities of the capitalism… could come to dominate others, it had to originate somewhere, and not in isolated individuals alone, but as a way of life common to the whole groups of man.

After defining the 'spirit of capitalism', Weber argues that there are many reasons to find its origins in the religious ideas of the Reformation. Many observers like William Petty, Montesquieu, Henry Thomas Buckle, John Keats, and others have commented on the affinity between Protestantism and the development of commercialism. The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... William Petty Sir William Petty (May 27, 1623-December 16, 1687) was a scientist and philosopher. ... Portrait of Montesquieu in 1728 Charles-Louis de Secondat, Baron de La Brède et de Montesquieu (January 18, 1689 – February 10, 1755), more commonly known as Montesquieu, was a French political thinker who lived during the Enlightenment and is famous for his articulation of the theory of separation... Henry Thomas Buckle (November 24, 1821 - May 29, 1862) was an English historian, author of a History of Civilization. ... John Keats John Keats (October 31, 1795 – February 23, 1821) was one of the principal poets in the English Romantic movement. ...

Weber shows that certain types of Protestantism favoured rational pursuit of economic gain and that worldly activities had been given positive spiritual and moral meaning. It was not the goal of those religious ideas, but rather a byproduct — the inherent logic of those doctrines and the advice based upon them both directly and indirectly encouraged planning and self-denial in the pursuit of economic gain.

Weber traced the origins of the Protestant ethic to the Reformation. In his opinion, under the Roman Catholic Church an individual could be assured of salvation by belief in the church's sacraments and the authority of its hierarchy. However, the Reformation had effectively removed such assurances for the average person, though Weber conceded that a "religious genius" such as Martin Luther might be able to retain such assurances. The Protestant Reformation was a movement which began in the 16th century as a series of attempts to reform the Roman Catholic Church, but ended in division and the establishment of new institutions, most importantly Lutheranism, Reformed churches, and Anabaptists. ... The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the Christian Church led by the Pope, currently Benedict XVI, and whose adherants constitute almost half of all Christians worldwide. ... Luther at age 46 (Lucas Cranach the Elder, 1529) The Luther seal Martin Luther (November 10, 1483–February 18, 1546) was a German theologian, an Augustinian monk, and an ecclesiastical reformer whose teachings inspired the Reformation and deeply influenced the doctrines and culture of the Lutheran and Protestant traditions. ...

In the absence of such assurances from religious authority, Weber argued that Protestants began to look for other "signs" that they were saved. Worldly success become one measure of salvation. Anticipating Adam Smith (but using a very different argument), Luther had made an early endorsement of the division of labor that was beginning to develop in Europe. Therefore, according to Weber's reading of Luther, a "vocation" from God was no longer limited to the clergy or church, but applied to any occupation or trade. For other people named Adam Smith, see Adam Smith (disambiguation). ...

However, Weber saw the fulfillment of the Protestant ethic not in Lutheranism, which he dismissed as a rather servile religion, but in Calvinistic forms of Christianity. Lutheranism is a Christian tradition committed to the main theological insights of Martin Luther. ... In an unadorned church, the 17th century congregation stands to hear the sermon. ...

The "paradox" Weber found was, in simple terms:

• According to the new Protestant religions, an individual was religiously compelled to follow a secular vocation with as much zeal as possible. A person living according to this worldview was more likely to accumulate money.
• However, according to the new religions (in particular, Calvinism), it was considered a sin to actually spend this money on personal luxuries or on religious icons. Also, charity was generally frowned on because a lack of worldly success was seen as a combination of laziness or divine disfavor.

The manner in which this paradox was resolved, Weber argued, was the investment of this money, which gave an extreme boost to nascent capitalism. Sin has been a term most usually used in a religious context, and today describes any lack of conformity to the will of God; especially, any willful disregard for the norms revealed by God is a sin. ... The Savior Not Made By Hands (1410s, by Andrei Rublev) An icon (from Greek εικων, eikon, image) is an artistic visual representation or symbol of anything considered holy and divine, such as God, saints or deities. ... Investment or investing is a term with several closely-related meanings in finance and economics. ...

By the time he wrote this essay, Weber believed that the religious underpinnings of the Protestant ethic had largely gone from society. In particular, he cited the writing of Benjamin Franklin, which emphasized frugality, hard work and thrift, but were mostly free of spiritual content. Benjamin Franklin by Jean-Baptiste Greuze 1777 Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706 – April 17, 1790) was one of the most prominent of Founders and early political figures and statesmen of the United States. ...

Weber also attributed the success of mass production partly to the Protestant ethic. Only after expensive luxuries were disdained could individuals accept the uniform products, such as clothes and furniture, that industrialization offered.

It should be noted that Weber maintained that while Puritan religious ideas had had a major influence on the development of economic order in Europe and United States, they were not the only factor (others included the rationalism in scientific pursuit, merging observation with mathematics, science of scholarship and jurisprudence, rational systematisation of government administration and economic enterprise). In the end, the study of Protestant ethic, according to Weber, merely explored one phase of the emancipation from magic, that disenchantment of the world that he regarded as the distinguishing peculiarity of Western culture. For the railroad use of the term observation, see observation car. ... Wikibooks Wikiversity has more about this subject: School of Mathematics Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Mathematics Look up Mathematics in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Mathematics Inter. ... A scholarship is an award of access to an institution and/or a financial aid award for an individual (a scholar) for the purposes of furthering their education. ... Jurisprudence is the scientific study of law through a philosophical lens. ... Look up Administration on Wiktionary, the free dictionary The word administration is from the Old English administracioun, deriving from the French administration, which is itself derived from the Latin administratio: a compounding of ad (to) and ministratio (to give service). In modern usage, the word has particular meanings in particular... Enterprise (occasionally archaically spelt enterprize) can refer to any of the following: // Psychology an attitude or a character trait conducive to undertaking bold ventures or actions, especially ventures involving risk a bold venture, particularly one of exploration or one that seeks inordinate profit Boldness, energy, and invention in practical affairs. ... Phase, from the Greek phasis, meaning appearance, has a number of related meanings in English. ... Emancipation — Oh, Edwin dear! Heres Tom Jones. ... The ancient symbol of the pentagram is often used as a symbol for magic. ... Leonardo da Vincis Vitruvian Man, for many a symbol of the changes of the Western culture during the Renaissance Western culture refers to the culture that has developed in the Western world. ...

Weber stated in the last of the endnotes that he abandoned research into Protestantism because his colleague Ernst Troeltsch, a professional theologian, had initiated work on the book The Social Teachings of the Christian Churches and Sects. Another reason for Weber's decision was that that essay had provided the perspective for a broad comparison of religion and society, which he continued in his later works (study of religion in China, India, Judaism). Ernst Troeltsch ( February 17 1865 – February 1, 1923) was a German Protestant theologian and writer on philosophy of religion and philosophy of history, and an influential figure in German thought before 1914. ... Theology is reasoned discourse concerning God (Greek θεος, theos, God, + λογος, logos, word or reason). It also refers to the study of other religious topics. ... Ancient Judaism (book) - Wikipedia /**/ @import /skins/monobook/IE50Fixes. ...

This book is also Weber's first brush with the concept of rationalization. His idea of modern capitalism as growing out of the religious pursuit of wealth meant a change to a rational means of existence, wealth. At some point this rational ends outgrew and became unreliant on the underlying religious movement behind it, leaving only rational capitalism. In essence then, Weber's "Spirit of Capitalism" is effectively and more broadly a Spirit of Rationalization. In sociology, rationalization is the process whereby society rationalizes from a traditional to a modern state. ...

The essay can also be interpreted as one of Weber's criticisms of Karl Marx and his theories. While Marx held, generally speaking, that all human institutions - including religion - were based on economic foundations, The Protestant Ethic turns this theory on its head by implying that a religious movement fostered capitalism, not the other way around. Marxs view of history, which came to be called the materialist interpretation of history (and which was developed further as the philosophy of dialectical materialism) is certainly influenced by Hegels claim that reality (and history) should be viewed dialectically, through a clash of opposing forces. ... Economics (deriving from the Greek words οίκω [okos], house, and νέμω [nemo], rules hence household management) is the social science that studies the allocation of scarce resources to satisfy unlimited wants. ...

Table of contents

Part 1. The Problem

I. Religious Affiliation and Social Stratification

Occupation; Religious Regulation; Work Ethic; Economic Rationalism; Protestantism vs. Catholicism; Business Spirit; Capitalist Counties; Our Focus.

II. The Spirit of Capitalism

Historical Individuality; Benjamin Franklin; Capitalist Ethos; Modern vs. Pre-modern Capitalism; Rationalism vs. Traditionalism; Ethos and Religious Idea; Idea of Calling.

III. Luther's Conception of the Calling, Task of the Investigation.

Origin of Calling; Medieval View; Luther's Traditionalism and Mysticism; Calvinism and Puritanism; Force of History.

Part 2. The Practical Ethics of the Ascetic Branches of Protestantism

IV. The Religious Foundations of Worldly Asceticism

History of Ascetic Protestantism

A. Calvinism

Predestination; Elimination of Magic; Rationalization of the World; Certainty of Salvation; Lutheranism vs. Calvinims; Catholicism vs. Calvinism; Monasticism vs. Puritanism; Methodical Ethic; Idea of Proof.

B. Pietism

Emotionalism; Spener; Francke; Zinzendorf; German Pietism.

C. Methodism

D. The Puritan Sects

Baptist and Quaker; Sect Principle; Inner Worldly Asceticism; Transformation of the World.

V. Asceticism and the Spirit of Capitalism

Richard Baxter; Meaning of Work; Justification of Profit; Jewish vs. Puritan Capitalism; Puritanism and Culture; Saving and Capital; Paradox of Asceticism and Rich; Serving Both Worlds; Citizenry Capitalistic Ethic; Iron Cage of Capitalism.

See also

• Protestant work ethic
• Social evolutionism
• The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism - Max Weber work on a related subject

The Protestant work ethic — also known as the Puritan work ethic — is a biblically based teaching on the neces ity of hard work, perfection and the goodness of labor. ... Social Evolutionism is a athropological and sociological social theory that holds that societies progress through stages of increasing development, i. ... The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism is an essay written by Maximilian Weber, a German economist and sociologist. ...

Related books

Ephraim Fischoff - The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, Social Research, Vol.XI, 1944, pp.62-68

External links

• Online ebook of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
• Online ebook of Die Protestantische Ethik und der Geist des Kapitalismus (in German) is linked on the bottom of that page
• http://de.wikisource.org/wiki/Die_protestantische_Ethik_und_der_Geist_des_Kapitalismus
• The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism