Protestant Ethic

History

The Protestant ethic was written in 1904-05. It fits into a greater body of Weber's work on the influence of religion in modern society. It's also an element in his quest to understand the peculiar rationalism of the west -why it is that practices are rationalized so much more in the west than in the orient. The work has been a major influence in Sociology. On the one hand it has been a focal case for theories that attempt to bridge the micro-macro divide. The argument of the Protestant Ethic. The work also serves to show how ideas become strong forces in society.

Religious Affiliation and Social Stratification.

The point of this chapter is simply to point out the empirical correlation between Protestantism and capitalist success. This sets the stage for the overall question as to WHY it would be the case that regions with more protestants would be more economically successful. This puts forth the research question.

“There arises thus the historical question: why were the districts of highest economic development at the same time particularly favorable to a revolution in the Church?” (p.229)

He notes this is true both for individuals and regions (so it seems the correlation is both individual and regional).

“Protestants…have show a special tendency to develop economic rationalism which cannot be observed to the same extent among Catholics either in the one situation or in the other. Thus the explanation of this differences must be sought in the permanent intrinsic character of their religious beliefs, and not only in they their temporary external historico-political situations.” (p.230)

Chapter 2. The spirit of Capitalism. [S.O.C.]

I. What is S.O.C. ?

MW starts with examples of the phenomena to be explained using Ben Franklin, and from this he summarizes what he means by the spirit of capitalism:

"Truly what is here preached is not simply a means of making ones way in the world, but a peculiar ethic. The infraction of its rules is treated not as foolishness but as forgetfulness of duty. That is the essence of the matter. It is not mere business astuteness, that sort of thing is common enough, it is an ethos. This is the quality which interests us." (p.233).

The ethic is characterized by the joint goal of getting richer, but not enjoying the 'humanistic' elements of wealth.

Elements of the Spirit of Capitalism.

- A determined application to one's work.

- Working as a Duty

- Rational organization of Work

- Rejection of Hedonistic (physical/personal) pleasures taken from wealth.

II. It's logical opposites.

On the one hand we have Traditionalism. Which posits that people work simply to gain the material

goods sufficient to satisfy their 'traditional' needs. (this is the example of piece rates that he gives. [Note a particular Marxist interpretation of this same example: work is alienating, so the worker sees no need to produce surplus value for the capitalist beyond what is needed for his/her own use.]

On the other hand we have accumulation for hedonistic purposes: Getting more wealth to boost personal enjoyment. Weber points out that the SOC is such that we want more wealth, but not for the goods that it can bring us.

III. The Calling.

A calling is a moral duty to fulfil obligations in a particular activity. It's a daily affirmation of duty -- you have to do it constantly. It's an individual duty prescribed by God.

IV. Key Elements of Protestantism.

-Predestination.

That each person's eternal fate is known to God from the beginning, and that there is nothing individuals can do to change it. One is either a member of the elect or not.

Weber points out that the notion of predestination would LEAD TO a notion of the calling. Because one can't change one's eternal fate, one searches for signs that they are a member of the elect. This is evidenced in the way one performs the duties God gives. Thus success in a calling, in the lord's work, is seen as a sign of being a member of the elect.

[see the key sum-up on p.153 -- of the Macmillan ed, it's the last 4 paragraphs of chapter IV].

Understand why Weber says,

"[The] rationalization of conduct within this world, but for the sake of the world beyond, was

the consequence of the concept of calling of ascetic Protestantism." [p.154].

V. Asceticism and the Spirit of Capitalism.

This is the chapter where Weber pulls it all together. Given the concept of S.O.C., and that of Predestination and of Calling, can we explain S.O.C. as a function of religious asceticism?

Asceticism involves a religious detachment -- an austerity and rejection of worldly pleasure.

The notion of predestination meant that we can't affect our eternal fate.

But, we [i.e. protestant Christians of the time Weber speaks] know that God helps those who help

themselves, and we know that each member of the elect has a duty, a calling, to perform.

If we can't affect our eternal fate, we can at least hope to discern signs of whether or not we

(or our neighbors) are a member of the elect. The sign that was looked for was success at one's calling. The unique element of Protestantism was that this calling was carried out within the world, not in separation from it (i.e. one did not go to a monastery to find god, and serve god, but one worked daily in the everyday world, again not for personal gain, but to answer one's calling). "Unwillingness to work is symptomatic of the lack of grace." [p.159].

So why could one keep gaining material wealth as a way to help God? "If God show you a way in which you may lawfully get more than in another way (without wrong to your soul or to any other), if you refuse this, and choose the less gainful way, you cross on e of the ends of your calling, and you refuse to be God's steward, and at accept His gifts and use them for Him who He requireth it: you may labour to be rich for god, though not for the flesh and sin." [p.162].

Wealth is a sin only insofar as it leads to idleness and sloth.

Focus attention on the argument from P.180 to the end. (last 3 pages of the book).

What is the Iron Cage? And how did Weber get there?

-It's the notion that the ethic of capitalism has trapped the modern laborer in a continuous wheel of work. That what in previous religious terms was a sign of grace, is now the accepted non- religious norm of working as hard as possible, and doing one's duty in work, as an end in itself. ("A job well done is reward enough" as my father used to say).

Think about how weber would expect this to change, given the lack of religious motives, and the increase in personal pleasure seeking. What would you predict?