sociology - religion - Weber

**Englaand di billo** · 05-11-2007, 19:21

WEBER "THE PROTESTANT ETHIC & SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM"

According to Max Weber, religion can be practical in 2 ways:

By assuring the fortunate (rich people) i.e. as religion stresses that their position was natural
It offered religious reasons for poverty and suffering i.e. themes based on sins committed in previous lives.

He studied Protestant beliefs closely and saw the link between Protestanism and western industrial capitalism. According to him, capitalism was a major contributor to a climate of change CALVINISM DID NOT CAUSE CAPITALISM. (cos capitalism initially developed in areas where the religion was influencial)

To further develop his arguement, he explained that areas such as India lacked a religion that encouraged the development of capitalism. (i.e. soul being clean, spiritualism, etc etc contrast to calvanist)

After pointing out this correlation between calvanism and capitalism, he explains why..(So u gota knw wht Calvinist Prostestanism beliefs are)

Calvinist Prostestanism beliefs originated from a guy called John Calvin in the C17th. There are 2 groups:

"the elect" - those chosen to go to heaven, who were chosen by god before they were born
those not among the elect, who could never gain a place in heaven regardless of how they spent their life on earth

Weber points out that Calvinists had a psychological problem: they didnt know whether they were from amongst the elect. Due to this, they suffered from inner loneliness/uncertainty about their status. Their behaviour wasnt an attempt to gain a place in heaven, but to convince themselves that they had been chosen.

Calvinism encouraged values like self-discipline, hard work and the rejection of self-indulgence (the protestant work ethic) which encouraged the rapid accumulation of capital and the emergence of a calvinist capitalist class.

p.s. this is a brief outline of Weber..and well, pretty much most of what you need to know, if there's anything u don't get, lemme know and ill help u out..Oh, and good luck

**Shaz.** · 05-11-2007, 19:46

THANKIEEEEEEEEE you luv youuuuuuuuuuu xxxxxxxx

**Englaand di billo** · 05-11-2007, 20:04

love you toooooooooooooooo lols

hope tht made sense tho!

**Shaz.** · 05-11-2007, 20:05

Yeh made more sense then it did in class. Cheers Hun! (: x

**Guji-Ji** · 05-11-2007, 21:13

Interesting and i see where his coming from.....

**Shaz.** · 05-12-2007, 21:30

Woop, thanks cootie.^^
- i think i understand what the fools saying now. woooo.
Had an exam on social change n got A babehh.

**Englaand di billo** · 05-12-2007, 21:33

WOOHOO! congrats sweetcheeks *hugs*

yeah man, once u get it, ull kick ass! I got an A in my sociology religion too. Gd luck with the rest of the crap daaahlin xxx

**Shaz.** · 05-12-2007, 21:36

Lol, (:. Thank-Ju.. well just gotta w8 till pratical hunna? :/
Tis purrty easy now.. just alot of reading 2 dooo.
x

**Englaand di billo** · 05-12-2007, 21:39

umhmm! inshallah ull be f9 puth! U still doing religion? Wht else u covering? nd r u in ur 1st/2nd yr?

**Shaz.** · 05-12-2007, 21:42

insh'allah (:
Yup still on religion.. finsihed looking at social change & Theories. now which is purrty easy...and nearly completed secularization..and just been looking and sect,cults and denominations.. which is rather borring.

in 2nd year^

**Englaand di billo** · 05-12-2007, 21:46

umhmmm u tellin me! @ 1st its interesting then it does jst get boring! Cos there sO much 2 cover after a while it does get repetitive nd u feel like uve been doing it 4 yrs. Cults are pretty weird nd interesting..the jones town 1 jst pissed me off! Nd its crazy hw influencial sme ppl can be, and especially to such an extent..

Generally hw u doin lvs?

**Shaz.** · 05-12-2007, 22:01

Lol, Yup but the thing is some bits might bore the living hell out of u but..it is very intrestin though cuz it covers a heck of alot and as im ..well.. hopefully going 2 be studying it an advanced level at uni.. my choices r also preeety open.

im oreet Hunie.. just w8n for silleh tutors 2 do 1 more refference.. honestly they take the pee.
You? xxxx Felling any better?

**Axii** · 05-12-2007, 22:54

is this all for sociology?

**Englaand di billo** · 06-12-2007, 18:40

Axii: Yeah, sociology religion nd general randomness between me nd shazinder.

Shaz: Na, tutors @ my college didnt tke lng @ all! I was 1 of the 1st ppl 2 do my pers.statement so they werent busy with others.

Yeah, i aint 2 bad my lav jst the usual =) i was all day nd its jst all bleurggg again lol, knw wht i mean?