Max Weber analyzed the relationship between religious beliefs, economic practices, and social stratification. He argued that Protestant beliefs, particularly Calvinism, influenced the development of capitalism. Puritans believed success in business signified being among the elect. This led to rational bookkeeping and pursuit of profits beyond basic needs. Over time, these habits lost religious meaning but rational profit-seeking remained. Weber observed Protestants dominated skilled trades and business leadership across countries. Religious beliefs helped determine career choices and economic involvement beyond just inherited wealth.

1. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATIONS &
SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
SUBMITTED TO: PROF KIRAN KUMAR
SUBMITTED BY: MS. RABNOOR JOHAR
M.PHIL. (1645102)

2. MAX WEBER
Max weber was born on April 21,1864 in Erfurt, a small city located in the south-
eastern part of Germany. His father was a great liberal politician who played a minor
role in his upbringing. Weber’s mother was a devout Calvinist -with strong spiritual
commitment to hard work and duty to God and man and she was comparatively a more
dominant figure in his life, encouraged and supported him throughout his career.
This German thinker was a famous political economist and sociologist. Weber was an
outstanding student. After finishing his secondary education, he went to Berlin where he
obtained a university degree in law and eventually a doctorate in political economy.

3. In 1896, he was appointed to a professorship in economics at the University of Freiburg
and then to a more important position at a University of Heidelberg, where he taught
political economy and economics. Only thirty-two years old at that time, he was considered
one of the youngest scholars to obtain a professorship at a major German University. In
1920, he died.
Max Weber published four major texts on religion in a context of economic sociology and
his rationalization thesis:
1. The protestant Ethics and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905),
2. The Religion of China: Confucianism and Taoism (1915),
3. The Religion of India: The Sociology of Hinduism and Buddhism (1915), and
4. Ancient Judaism (1920).

4. MAX WEBER IN RELATION TO RELIGION AND
ECONOMIC SOCIOLOGY
Max Weber fostered more than anybody else in the investigation of the relation
between economics and society, on the one hand, and religion, on the other. Max
Weber published four major texts in religion in a context of economic sociology and
his rationalization thesis, one of them was “The Protestant Ethics and the Spirit of
Capitalism.”
In the Protestant Ethics, Weber argues that capitalism arose in Europe in part
because of how the belief of predestination was interpreted by English Puritans.

5. RELIGIOUS THOUGHT BEHIND THE RISE OF
CAPITALISM AND SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
Puritans theology was based on the Calvinist notion not everyone would be saved; there was
only specific number of the elect and this was based sheerly on God’s predetermined will and
people were anxious to know whether one was among the elect.
The Puritan leaders began assuring members that if they began doing well financially in their
business, this would be an unofficial sign that they had God’s approval and were among the saved
but only if they used the fruits of their labour well.
 This led to the development of rational bookkeeping and calculated pursuits of financial
success beyond what one needed simply to live- and this is the “Spirit of Capitalism”.
 Overtime, the habits associated with the spirit lost their religious significance, and rational
pursuit of profit becomes its own aim.

6. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION AND SOCIAL
STRATIFICATION
Most skilled labourers were protestants: Weber observed that according to the
occupational statistics of countries of mixed religious composition, business leaders
and owners, as well as the higher skilled labourers and personnel, are
overwhelmingly Protestants. This fact crosses the line of nationality.
Weber observes that this could be partly explained by historical circumstances, such
as the fact that richer districts tended to convert to Protestantism.
This, however, leads to a question why, during Protestant Reformation, the districts
that were most economically developed were also most favourable to a revolution. It
is true that freedom from economic traditions might make one more likely to also
doubt religious traditions.

7. Weber argued that secularism didn’t lead to Capitalism but the tenants of Protestantism
did: However, the Reformation did not eliminate the influence of the Church but rather
substituted one influence for another that was more penetrating in practice.
 Weber also says that though it might be thought that the greater participation Protestants in
capitalism is due to their greater inherited wealth. This does not explain all the phenomenon.
For instance, Catholic and protestant parents tend to give their children different kinds of
education, and Catholics have more tendency than Protestants to stay in handicrafts rather
than to go into industry.
This suggests that their environment has determined the choice of occupation. This seems all
the more likely because one would normally expect Catholics to get involved in economic
activity in places like Germany, because they are excluded from political influence.

8. CONT’D
However, in reality Protestants have shown much stronger tendency to develop
economic rationalism than Catholics have.
Our task is to investigate the religions and see what might have caused this behaviour.
One explanation that has been given is that Catholics are more “otherworldly” (Imaginary
and spiritual world) and ascetic than the Protestants, and are therefore indifferent to
material gains.
On the Protestant side, it is used as a basis of criticism of those(real or imagined)
ascetic ideals of the Catholic way of life, while the Catholics answer with the accusation
that materialism results from the secularization of all ideals through Protestantism.

9. Popular notion: Catholics are not interested in worldly gains and the Puritan is however
it’s not the case: This does not fit the facts of today or of past and such generalities are not
useful. And Weber argues that there might be an “intimate relationship” between capitalist
acquisition and other worldliness, asceticism.
Thus, if there is any relationship between ascetic Protestant ethics and the Spirit of Capitalism,
it will be found in purely religious characteristics. For instance, sometimes most ardent
(passionate, enthusiastic) Christians come from commercial circles. And, not all Protestant
circles have an equally strong influence.
In order to understand the many potential relationships here, it is important to understand
characteristics of and differences between the religious thoughts and Christianity.

10. CONCLUSION
Thus, this is how the Religious affiliation and social stratification came into being.
On one hand, where protestants enjoy riches and laurels along with their own
values and hard work but on the other hand, Catholics remains orthodox with the
teachings of church and still not consider amassing wealth as their primary aspect
of life.
The Protestant Ethics thesis has been much critiqued, refined and disputed, but is
still a lively source of theoretical debate in sociology of religion.