Max Weber was a German sociologist born in 1864 in Erfurt, Germany. He is best known for his book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, which argued that Protestant beliefs, especially Calvinism, influenced the development of capitalism. Specifically, the Calvinist beliefs in predestination and dedicating oneself to their earthly calling encouraged hard work and abstaining from pleasures. This opened the possibility for the spirit of capitalism to take hold in Europe where work became an end in itself. This was one of the first analyses of how religion influences economic systems.

1. Max Weber
Nathan H.
Ms. Gluck 4th Period

2. Bio
• B. 1864 in Erfurt, Germany
• Father was a politician
• Mother was a strict Calvinist

3. The Protestant Ethic
and the Spirit of
Capitalism
• Argued that Protestant (esp.
Calvinist) thought set the stage for
the social development of
Capitalism
– Calvinism includes belief in
predestination
• (Predestination: God has already decided
who is going to Heaven and who is going to
Hell)

4. The Protestant Ethic
and the Spirit of
Capitalism (cont.)
– Belief in predestination creates anxiety
• (“Where am I going when I die? What has
God decided about me? AHHH!!!!!!”)
– In response to this anxiety, clergy put
emphasis on work, “earthly calling”
• (“If you work as hard as you can, all the
time, and dedicate yourself to your craft,
and abstain from the pleasures that come
from your labor, that’s the best you can do.”

5. The Protestant Ethic
and the Spirit of
Capitalism (cont.)
– This opened the social possibility for
the “spirit of capitalism” (work as hard
as you can for the sake of work itself)
to take hold in Europe.
• This was the first major analysis of
the effect of religion on the
formation of an economic system.

6. Works Cited
• Weber, M. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
http://www.ne.jp/asahi/moriyuki/abukuma/weber/world/et
hic/pro_eth_frame.html
• Novak, Michael. “Max Weber Goes Global” April 2005
http://sks.sirs.com/cgi-bin/hst-article-display?id=SNY5907H-
0-
3734&artno=0000211443&type=ART7shfilter=U&key=max%2
0weber&title=Max%20Weber%20Goes%20Global&res=Y&ren
=Y&gov=Y&1nk=N&ic=N
• “Max Weber.” Concise Encyclopedia of Economics
http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/bios/Weber.html
• “Max Weber.” Encyclopedia Britannica Online
http://www.britannica.com/Ebchecked/topic/638565/Max-
Weber
• http://hangingodes.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/weber.jpg
• http://www.a-t-
s.net/shared/images/destinations/Erfurt%20Image.jpg
• http://www.easypedia.gr/el/images/shared/archive/1/16/2
0050520214403!Max_Weber_1894.jpg
• http://faculty.etsu.edu/kortumr/HUMT2320/northernrenaissa
nce/adobejpgimages/15calvinlarge.jpg