Weber: Religion as a force for change

• Weber argued that the beliefs of Calvinism helped bring about major social change, particularly the emergence of modern capitalism in Northern Europe in the 16th and 17th century.

  This is because the emergence of capitalism accompanied the emergence of Protestantism.
• What is Calvinism?

  A Protestant denomination and that came from reformed doctrine by John Calvin. (following the 1517 reformation)
• How did the beliefs of Calvinism develop?

  Martin Luther disagreed with lifestyles of indulgence and Catholic practices of ''influencing'' God.

  This causes salvation anxiety as people's place in the afterlife have already been pre-determined.

  People then turned to finding their vocation (as introduced by Calvin) and living frugally to emulate the life of Jesus (As stated by Luther). Their success and wealth served to 'prove' they were going to heaven and this unintentionally allowed money to accumulate.
• How did the beliefs of Protestantism allow the emergence of Capitalism?

  The money which was accumulated through hard work and success in your vocation couldn't be spent, as that would contradict the Lutherian value of living frugally like Christ.

  This led to the practice of capital re-investment, which in turn led to people becoming even more successful and earning more money.
• What were three main values of Calvinism?

  1. Leading a simple life
  2. Devotion
  3. Vocation
• Does religion act as a force of social change?

  Religion is effective as a conservative force as it causes people to accept ideas without challenge.

  Similarly, it is good as a force for social change because if an activist group's ideas are rooted in religion, they are less likely to back down.
• Summarise how the reformation led to Capitalist societies

  • Reformation 1517: Martin Luther argued for a change from an immanent to a transcendent God.
  • Transcendent God means God is beyond the world so cannot be influenced & your fate is pre-determined.
  • Led to salvation anxiety (Weber)
  • Calvinism states if you find your vocation, work hard and live frugally, it's a sign you will be saved.
  • People accumulated lots of money and re-invested it to get more money.
• Overall, Capitalism emerged in Protestant countries, and many of the most successful modern economies are protestant.
• What are the three Calvinist beliefs:

  1. Predestination: election to heaven before birth, people can do nothing whatsoever to change that destiny.
  2. Transcendence: God is entirely distinct to man and can't be understood.
  3. Ascetism: abstinence, self-discipline and self denial, emulating the life of Christ.
• What was a vocation before Calvinism?

  It was a calling from God to serve or join a monastery, renouncing everyday life?
• What is different about Calvin's vocation and ascetism?

  He focused on this-worldly ascetism. Humans were put on this earth to glorify God through their work and a vocation was dedication to your work in an occupation.

  This work, though couldn't earn your place in heaven but simply serve as a sign.

  Calvinists followed an ascetic lifestyle, rejected luxury and worked long hours to practice religious self-discipline.
• Calvin's ideas meant that work became sacralised.

  The sacralisation of work in combination with ascetism unintentionally led to modern capitalism.
• What are two consequences of Calvinists' hard work and ascetism?

  1. Wealth and success performed an ideological function, allowing people to cope with salvation anxiety.
  2. The spirit of capitalism meant that the accumulation of money became an end in itself. Especially in a post-Christian society as people don't need to prove anything regarding the afterlife.
• Weber notes that other societies have had higher levels of economic development than Northern Europe in the 16th and 17th century but still failed to develop modern Capitalism. Which were these?

  India and China
• Why did India's belief system not create modern capitalism?

  India's main religion is Hinduism.

  This shares the idea of living simply with an ascetic lifestyle.

  However, it focused on other-worldly ascetism, so people's way of life is directed to another life. Devotion is shown by withdrawal from this-worldly desires.

  Accumulation of wealth wasn't fulfilled so this belief system couldn't create capitalism.
• Why couldn't China's belief system create modern capitalism?

  China's main belief system was Confucianism.

  This shares the idea of working hard to generate wealth and success. However, it was this worldly and encouraged spending your wealth to live a life of luxury. This couldn't allow for wealth to accumulate.

  An ascetic lifestyle wasn't fulfilled, so this belief system couldn't create capitalism.
• Weakness 😭: Kautsky argued that capitalism pre-dated Calvinism.

  However, Weber would counter that and say Calvinism led to modern capitalism.
• Weakness 😭: Tawney argues that technological change, not religious ideas caused the birth of capitalism, and technology is the practical application of science.

  However, science developed in the 1600s AFTER the reformation, therefore is still the result of religious change.
• Tawney argued that Calvinism performed an ideological function as an 'opium of the masses', to legitimate the pursuit of capital and encouraging people to work hard since it is tied to the afterlife.