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Comparing The Protestant Ethic And The Spirit Of Capitalism By Max Weber

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As one of the most influential thinkers in modern times, Max Weber has articulately argued the central role of capitalism and its modern direction in his work, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. His emphasis on beliefs, the nature of modernity and adoption of Marxist ideas, allows him to correlate the relationship between religion and the emergence of modern capitalism. Weber believes that capitalism has always existed and doesn’t see it as a modern creation, but rather a long run enterprise (Lecture, 9/24). Many argue that modern capitalism is centered on greed and the desire for material goods, but Weber says that there is nothing modern about being greedy. In his work, Weber adopts many Marxist beliefs, but emphasizes …show more content…

Characteristics of a capitalism system include the emphasis on investment and production, private ownership, rational accounting, rational organization of work, innovation and the establishment of clear laws. If all of these characteristics are performed and followed correctly, then capitalism as a system can be successful. The first step in modern capitalism is the Industrial Revolution. During an industrial revolution, the nature of work is altered from “cottage industries” where the work was prominently produced in the home, to industrial factories as the main site of production. When a country industrializes, it creates jobs in an urban setting and allows for the population to spread out. Along with an increasing amount of skilled workers and continuous advances in technology, they can produce more products, which leads to a greater international trading market. As a result, the middle class increases, and Weber argues, that the traditional beliefs of working for survival are replaces with a new valuation on work and a newfound desire for profit. With urbanization becoming central to the work force, these cities became centers of national identity and culture. Modern Capitalism allows for increasing markets and trading of commodities. This increase in the market economy was essential for the expansion of capitalism, and according to Weber, formed bureaucratic structures. “The thorough rationalization and regimentation of social and economic relations necessitated by capitalism is extended and intensified in the process of bureaucratization…. the decisive reason for the advance of bureaucratic

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