Religion as a force for change
- Created by: candiceball
- Created on: 24-05-15 17:16
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- Religion as a force for change
- Weber argues that the religious beliefs of Calvinism helped to bring about major social change.
- It bought about the emergence of modern capitalism in Northern Europe.
- Modern capitalism is unique because it is based on the systematic, efficient, rational pursuit for profit for its own sake.
- Weber calls this the spirit of capitalism.
- This spirit is very similar to the Calvinists beliefs and attitudes.
- Weber calls this the spirit of capitalism.
- Tawney argues that technological changes no religious ides first led to capitalism.
- Modern capitalism is unique because it is based on the systematic, efficient, rational pursuit for profit for its own sake.
- It bought about the emergence of modern capitalism in Northern Europe.
- Calvinists beliefs include:
- Predestination: god determines who will be saved even before birth - 'The elect' - and individuals can do nothing to change this.
- Divine Transcendence: God is so far above and beyond this world that no human being could possibly claim to know hi will.
- Asceticism: self discipline and self denial.
- The idea of a vocation or calling to serve God but in the everyday world of work.
- Calvinism led an ascetic lifestlye shunning all luxury, working long hours and practising rigorous self discipline.
- Driven by their work ethic, they systematically accumulated wealth wealth but did not spend it on luxuries, instead reinvesting it in their business to produce further profit.
- They prospered and came to see this is a sign of God's favour and their salivation.
- Weber argued that Calvinist beliefs were only one of capitalists causes.
- Certain material or economic factor were necessary eg. natural resources.
- There have been other societies with some of these factors, but where capitalism did not take off due to lack of a religious belief system.
- Confucianism in ancient china, a religion that directed its followers towards the material world.
- There have been other societies with some of these factors, but where capitalism did not take off due to lack of a religious belief system.
- Certain material or economic factor were necessary eg. natural resources.
- Weber argues that the religious beliefs of Calvinism helped to bring about major social change.
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