weber

• Religion


  Supernatural element of religion and the role of religion in everyday life
• Religion


  • Fulfils both the psychological and social needs of individuals
• Weber studied the Calvinist movement in Western Europe at the beginning of the 20th century
• Religious belief


  Allowed people to justify their experiences, both positive and negative
• If people suffered misfortune

  It was God's will that it should happen
• If people were successful in some way


  They were blessed
• Worldview


  Dependent upon an individual's position or status in society
• Weber


  Interested in the relationship between religion and the growth of industrial nations and the expansion of capitalism
• Protestant work ethic


  Key features of Calvinism that allowed capitalism to thrive
• Key features of Calvinism

  • Fatalism
  • Belief that their position in life was fixed
  • Virtuous to work hard to prove they were chosen
  • Approval of hard work in the eyes of God and fellow man acted as motivation
  • Greater work ethic than other religions
  • Fiscally astute and saved money
  • Invested money into developing their own businesses rather than giving to charity
• Areas dominated by Protestantism


  Thrived economically due to the commitment of labour
• Weber's work


  Influential in discussion of the American Dream later in the 20th century
• Religious authority


  Takes one of three forms: charismatic, traditional, or rational-legal
• Weber contradicts the view of Marxists that religion is a form of oppression for individuals
• Not all nations with Protestant populations industrialized at the same time
• Nations involved in colonialism and the slave trade benefited more from the import of goods and resources seized from colonies, particularly in Africa, than the Protestant work ethic
• Weber was criticized for applying ideas to Protestantism that fitted his thesis and omitting those that did not, such as the charitable work of churches and the role they played in early forms of education