1. Kiazhane Chavez
SOC 3310 Social Theory
Part One
Weber The Protestant Ethicand theSpirt of Capitalism
In Weber's The Protestant Ethicand the Spirit of Capitalism he focussesonthe
relationshipbetweenthe emergence of the spirit of moderncapitalism and ethics of ascetic
Protestantism. Figuringout what is the motivationbehind human actions and social means.
Could it be God, the individual, wealth, worldly calling, or self-control. In essence all those
points come together to form his analysis onfinding a motivationfor early capitalism (Marx)
and how Calvinism had a major role increatingmoderncapitalism. Weber’s analysis also
goes in detail of Baxter’s 17th centuryPuritans role of wealthand their views of the worldly
calling stemmingfrom Calvinism.
Calvinism had the most interesting characteristic dogma. Mainly believing in
predestination;that God has already determinedwho is saved and damned. Even for the
followers is it onlynatural to wonder what your predestinationis. Teaching absolute
sovereigntyof God’s will, the knowing of being saved or dammed is irresistiblethat a man
can do nothing to effect this salvation. In the developing stages there was a need for clues
about whether one was actually saved or not. Calvinists couldonly determine this by looking
into their success stemmingfrom worldlyactivities for those hiddenclues. Success brings in
profit and power so they came to value material success as signs of God's favor. To
physically show that you have been blessedand/or chosento be saved. This could be the

2. reason Weber argues that the religious ideas of groups suchas the Calvinists played a role in
creating motivationfor modernrational capitalism.
Weber viewed Marx stages of moderncapitalism as lacking a motivationthat is
crucial to the early stages of capitalism. Marx believedcivilization had become organizedby
the mode of productionand distribution;using the division of labor to dominate. “Thus the
process of economicselection, the capitalism that today dominates economic life… both
owner of the business and worker”. Division of labor consist of breakingdown a process into
multiple simple tasks and assign the task to different people. Completelydeletingthe art of
having a craft and creatingwage labor. We all know that capitalism has a formulaof M – C –
M and it is invested. And a non-capitalist M – C – P pocket the money for inner motives of
religion.
“It is Benjamin Franklin who preaches to us in these sentences … the spirit of
capitalism is here manifestedinFranklins worlds”. Weber “provides a provisual illustration
of the activity implied… by spirit of capitalism ... remember that time is money... credit is
money… money is the prolific, generatingnature … remember the saying: the good
paymaster is the lordof another mans purse”. Its shown that Weber’s view of inner motives
for the capitalistic spirit are closelyconnectedwiththe general nature of capitalism. His
intent was to explore religionas a potential cause of the moderneconomic conditions. Tying
in social and occupational. By being productive and adding value to yourself, utilizingyour
duty to have credit, and investing are religious factors that were exercised. It is influencedby
pursuing profit as virtuous, showing your success as a sign of Gods Favor.

3. Weber broke down Calvin’s theologyinto three parts to further investigate the
motivationfor moderncapitalism. Those parts are the role of God, the humans individual,
and the worldly calling(mercy). “God does not exist for the people;rather people exist to
serve the will of God … to service the goal: the glorificationof Gods majesty”. God holds
all the power. He is mighty beyond the reach of human understanding. “God and God alone
can make his decrees comprehensible … if he finds goodto do so” has decidedthe fate of
every individual and his decrees cannot change. It couldbe possible that their destinies inlife
where not fair accordingto Weber that like an animal crying and wanting to be born a man.
You simplyleave everything up to God and glorifyhim till your death. It is
unlikely/unthinkable that there is any co-decidingof someone’s destiny, even considering
someone faults to God. There are absolutelyno changes stemmingfrom human influences.
The individual himself has his own must “pursue their life journeyinsolitude… the
destiny they would encounter … had been unalterably set for them since eternity”.
Completingyour journey to predestination requiresmore workthan just occasional good act
showing signs of Gods favor to seekclues toward salvation. You need self-control andself-
confidence. The act of self-control is amajor key because every moment is chosenand you
don’t want to indulge in temptationand not glorifyGod. With your control come confidence;
to keep self-confidence always participate in worldly activity. It is seento be highly suitable
and it alone gets rid of religious doubts and gives the certaintyof God’s grace.
“Predestinationcanactually be understoodas only the most extreme form of the exclusive
trust in God”

4. As a Calvinist you must have mercy, hope and faith. It all boils down to eternal
salvation and your worldly calling. To see and receives God’s grace and success inyour
calling to visible show and receive signs from God. Your “calling: one task is given by God
… the concept of the calling is a product of reformation”. The protestant view creates a
concept of "calling," and gives worldly activity a religious character. “The fulfillment … the
calling became viewed as the highest expressionthat moral activity couldassume.” Weber’s
analysis connects and emerges Protestantism withchanges necessary (Calvinism and other
religious view) to allow for the development of the spirit of capitalism. That is “devoting
oneself to acalling was that unavoidable result of the ideaof attaching religious significance
to daily work … which derive from the [social & occupational]positions of eachperson”.
Weber shows that it is only natural for your calling to form a capitalist society. Hence the
spirit of capitalism because Calvin didn’t see the creationof wealth(from your calling) as a
barrier to the church.
Dealing with Protestants andCalvinist Weber also analyzed the 17th centuryPuritans
views of wealth and their idea of this worldly calling. “Wealth as suchis a serious danger
and its temptations are consistent… signifyingGod… the pursuit of wealth is seenas both
senselessand morallysuspect”. It is senselessbecause the creationof wealthforms a want of
consumptionthat is brought on by the endless temptations. Consumptionis problematic due
to its accumulation(due to resting) and enjoyment is a distraction. They believe “a person
must work … to the will of God … only activity not idleness and enjoyment, serves to
increase his glory”. “Puritanism… provides the most consistent foundationfor the ideaof a
vocational calling”. To stay away from an “unclean life”the calling is orientatedtoward

5. achieving a religious moral life. There callinghas to do with all aspects of asceticism
(sexual, vegetarianism, coldbaths, and diets) and working. “an unwillingness to work is a
sign that one is not among saved”. It doesn’t matter what your economic status is everyone
must pull their weight and work within the guidelines of the calling.
Reading and trying to completelyunderstandWeber analysis I feel he made a
connectionin figuring out the capitalist spirt and motivations about modernrational
capitalism. From my understanding the underlining motivationis not submitting yourself to
God but his contributingguidelines. The most important guideline is time is valuable, if
you’re not using your time to glorifyGod thenyou shouldbe using it to stay productive.
Being productive adds value to anything you are doing but you don’t want to get caught in
the temptationsurroundingyou that can hinder calling. Your calling is your productiveness
the skill and assets that God has predetermined for you. Weber’s strength was the analysis of
Baxter’s Puritans views of wealth and worldly callings. It was most interestingto me because
Puritans formedout of Calvinism but their views on everything were opposite. A weakness
of the analysis could be under explaining of the human individual besides him worshiping
God and doing work. What other responsibilities doesthe human have that can contribute to
capitalism (if any) since he cannot decidedhis faith.