Summary: The Protestant Ethic
According to Weber, the transition from traditional capitalism to modern capitalism began when religion began to take on a new ideology. This ideology is referred to as the Protestant Ethic because of the shift toward the understanding that work was a moral commitment. This shift would entail a changed subjective understanding of the followers of Protestant religions. Ultimately, capitalism would transition from traditional capitalism where wealth grows and leads to spending on luxury, to modern capitalism where saving money and investing it into the business becomes the primary focus. This would lead to less focus on surplus and more on incentivizing workers to do the best work they can. Modern capitalist cannot come to fruition without a
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First, there would be an introduction of systematic labor. Systematic hard work was important because it would later lead to “specialization of occupations [and] to a quantitative and qualitative improvement in production, and thus serves the common good” (p.107). Thus they believed hard work would improve life for everyone, and that was their calling from God. This also led them to become rationalized in their subjective understanding. They would deny themselves enjoyment because that would allow them to achieve God’s will. In that there became a channeling of secular activities in which you could not partake in. For example, cultural activities such as painting were looked down upon because they glorified man and seemed superstitious. In avoiding superstitious activity, secular activity was pushed into business and science. This push is the basis for the capitalist enterprise. Overtime, wealth became the main issue and the main difference between traditional and modern capitalism. Through religion, wealth was seen as a temptation. It could lead to living life in the flesh. Second, success leads to wealth and this became a sign of election to Heaven. However, there is conflict between wealth as temptation and as a demonstration of election. This conflict leads to the reinvestment into the business and compulsion to save as much money as possible. The compulsion to save brings about the competition and completes the transition into modern
First, there would be an introduction of systematic labor. Systematic hard work was important because it would later lead to “specialization of occupations [and] to a quantitative and qualitative improvement in production, and thus serves the common good” (p.107). Thus they believed hard work would improve life for everyone, and that was their calling from God. This also led them to become rationalized in their subjective understanding. They would deny themselves enjoyment because that would allow them to achieve God’s will. In that there became a channeling of secular activities in which you could not partake in. For example, cultural activities such as painting were looked down upon because they glorified man and seemed superstitious. In avoiding superstitious activity, secular activity was pushed into business and science. This push is the basis for the capitalist enterprise. Overtime, wealth became the main issue and the main difference between traditional and modern capitalism. Through religion, wealth was seen as a temptation. It could lead to living life in the flesh. Second, success leads to wealth and this became a sign of election to Heaven. However, there is conflict between wealth as temptation and as a demonstration of election. This conflict leads to the reinvestment into the business and compulsion to save as much money as possible. The compulsion to save brings about the competition and completes the transition into modern