StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
The paper "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism" cites Max Weber's work. He states that the development of capitalism was largely influenced by Puritan ethics and ideas. Though Weber was largely influenced by theories initiated by Karl Marx, he is clearly not a Marxist…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER95.4% of users find it useful
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism"

Therefore, the west has marked immense development in the field of science. He makes this observation and compares the same to capitalism. He states that capitalism is not defined by the struggle for gaining profits and earning greater amounts of money. However, it is defined by the act of making renewable profits that do not seem to extinguish. In light of this statement, he states that economical gain is defined by the amounts of profits made. Therefore, it is explicit that capitalism is experienced in the whole world.

Consequentially, there is a point to note in concerns to capitalism. Though it has occurred in all parts of the world, the degree is not the same (Weber 13). The west has had a better share of capitalism when compared to the other parts of the world. The west has recorded a higher degree of capitalism that can never be achieved in any other part of the world. Weber sets to examine the connection of amassing wealth vis-a-vis religion. To begin with, he states that religious affiliations, especially Protestants were compelled to a set of secular vocations in their religion.

Similarly, they had to have enthusiasm in the highest manner possible. People living in such a setting were highly likely to amass immense wealthy. In addition to this, he states that emergent religions were strict on wasteful consumption of wealth. As a fact, impulsive use of hard-earned cash was forbidden in these religious affiliations. In ensuring the people allied to the religion were abiding by the directives, it was stated that it was a sin to use wealth on luxurious commodities. This was declared a sin.

Secondly, Weber states that religious affiliation forbade donation to charity and beggars. They stated that this was a strategy of encouraging people and organisations to beg for money (Weber 17). Therefore, people should put money into substantive and preferred use rather than spending money on worthless activities. For example, giving money to beggars would encourage the beggars to beg for more. This would be a blow to the economy, as it would reflect minute development. Consequentially, Weber states that people should find alternative ways of using money in a more coherent manner.

For example, he states that people should insist on investing money in a useful manner. This would increase generation of profits to the society. Apparently, this would be an enhancement to capitalism. Weber states that protestant ethic had a positive influence on the issue of capitalism. He states that this was an encouragement of people to work tirelessly in developing capitalism. When a large number of people are working for a common goal, they will have immense achievement in the economy.

As a fact, he states that protestant ethics encouraged people to start working in the secular world. This was to generate wealth in strengthening capitalism. It is stated that people were advised to start their own enterprises, engage in trade and exchange of products (Weber 19). In addition to this, they were to enhance accumulation of large amounts of cash for investment. With increased trade, investment and accumulation of wealth, capitalism would be a strong aspect in the world. Weber decreed that the west was engaged in accumulation, investment and increased trade.

As such, they had many people working for a common goal of developing the economy. This was steered by the encouragement of protestant ethics. Since people had greater regards for protestant ethics, they were compelled to engage in such activities that were highly advised. Therefore, it is evident that protestant ethics was a fundamental driving force that has led to improvement and enhancement of capitalism (Weber 21). Without protestant ethics, capitalism would have not recorded an immense difference in the world.

In conclusion, Weber states that it is evident that people will hardly develop when there is absence of a driving force. When people are encouraged to avert their traditional ways of executing tasks, they will be up to the task. Apparently, he states that many people in the world only want to produce enough wealth for a comfortable living. However, the population should know that it should be earning more money. This will pave way for investments. Similarly, he states that the increasing need for wealth and efficiency is an ostensible reason for increased need for rationalized economy.

Apparently, this has direct effects on labour. For example, there will be increased labour and efficiency in the economy, which will lead to increased production. This will improve scientific knowledge of the people as they look for ways of improving production. As such, people will find it easy to produce more wealth and improve in their investments.

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“What does Max Weber tell in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Essay”, n.d.)
What does Max Weber tell in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Essay. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/sociology/1494154-what-does-max-weber-tell-in-the-protestant-ethic
(What Does Max Weber Tell in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Essay)
What Does Max Weber Tell in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Essay. https://studentshare.org/sociology/1494154-what-does-max-weber-tell-in-the-protestant-ethic.
“What Does Max Weber Tell in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Essay”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/sociology/1494154-what-does-max-weber-tell-in-the-protestant-ethic.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

This study 'Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism' is worried about economics, especially the development of capitalism.... his extract, possibly more than any other, states apparently the essence of the protestant ethic.... Weber's reason in this study is to investigate the sources of capitalism.... He finds those sources in the protestant Reformation, especially in Calvinism.... The author states that it is Weber's conviction that factual reasonable capitalism increased out of Protestant asceticism....
3 Pages (750 words) Assignment

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Max Weber

The paper "The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Max Weber" discusses that Weber wasn't able to regain his professorship at universities because of his contracted illness.... Later on, Weber regarded this religious phenomenon as the spirit of capitalism.... Max Weber represented the spirit of capitalism by means of using Benjamin Franklin as his mouthpiece.... spirit of capitalism then is the values attached to the quest for more and more money....
5 Pages (1250 words) Essay

Reading response papers

On the contrary, Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.... n “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism,” Max Weber examines the part played by Protestantism in the evolution of Capitalism.... On the other hand, however, we have no intention whatever of maintaining such a foolish and doctrinaire thesis as that the spirit of capitalism (in the provisional sense of the term explained above) could only have arisen as the result of certain effects of the Reformation, or....
1 Pages (250 words) Essay

Reading Response

32), the Protestants in Germany were the most educated compared to Task The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism The main argument of the article in this book by Max Weber is that capitalism was brought about by the Protestants.... n the book “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism” by Max Weber, the relationship between religion is analyzed.... The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.... In contrast, the protestant religion encourages profitable activity and accumulation of wealth to religious help from God....
1 Pages (250 words) Assignment

Movie compare

In the book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, the author Max Weber has explored the relationship between ascetic Protestantism and the development of modern Capitalism.... n the second chapter, Weber has applied the spirit of capitalism to “a complex of relationships in historical reality which we join together, from the vantage point of their cultural significance, into a conceptual unity.... This, according to Weber, is the spirit of capitalism....
5 Pages (1250 words) Admission/Application Essay

Analysis of the Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Max Weber

"Analysis of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Max Weber" paper presents a brief biography of Max Weber and a discussion of his thoughts that are presented in his famous collection of essays entitled 'The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism'.... In 1904, Max Weber published his collection of essays entitled 'The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism' in the journal 'Archives for Social Science and Social Welfare', of which he was an editor....
9 Pages (2250 words) Book Report/Review

Contribution to the Development of Social Thought Marx and Weber

Marx felt that due to the disputes arising amongst the bourgeoisie class and the proletariat class, there would be a downfall of capitalism which would lead to the revolution of capitalism.... He took a concern for the rise in capitalism as this issue affected him closely.... Marx criticised capitalism and looked forward to the communist revolution (Boundless, n.... ccording to Marx, the bourgeoisie (the capitalist class) tried to protect capitalism through the promotion of misrepresented ideas and false perceptions that kept the proletariat away from protesting against capitalism....
8 Pages (2000 words) Coursework

Classical Social Theory

This paper under the headline "Classical Social Theory" focuses on the fact that the future society refers to the union of all human beings through modern environments and powerful experiences that cut across geographical and ethnic boundaries, nationality, and class.... .... ... ... Understanding the future society has proven to be a daunting task for social theorists....
6 Pages (1500 words) Assignment
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us