Protestant Ethic And The Spirit Of Capitalism Analysis

According to Max Weber in the piece, “The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism”, he described that “in the figures of religious affiliation almost wherever capitalism, at the time of its great expansion, has had a free hand to alter the social distribution of the population in accordance with its needs, and to determine its occupational structure.” (Weber, 1905). This meant that religion, even at this time, had a very strong presence not only in the spiritual lives of individuals, but also in the socioeconomic status of different religious and subgroups within society. At the time, Protestants were a hardworking people whose efforts partially aided in the rise of capitalism. Weber suggests that if not for their religious affiliation,

What religion did, however, was help to bring a group of like-minded individuals together towards a common goals making them wealthier and more powerful than others in their society. According to the textbook, a sociological approach to religion involves the customs, traditions, and social effects of the religion on society. Sociologists are not dedicated to disproving a religious group’s beliefs, but in studying how their religion affects society and the course of history. Religion is an interesting concept in that there are various belief structures and for some there is the opportunity for economic gain or power in society. Throughout history, political races, legislation, marriage, and wars have been defined by one religion or another or have resulted because of the differences between two religions. Religion is a powerful tool because it aids in social control, but also can create dystopia in

Many religions can clearly define what is viewed as morally right or morally wrong. Religious groups also challenge society, however, and in those cause can be seen as against the moral code for society. For example, in our society there is a very big debate among individuals, politicians, and religious groups as to the right to life for a fetus. This is significant because it create social stratification for those who can and cannot afford to voice their opinion, or have access to birth control and other preventative services. According to “Religion, Deviance, and Social Control” by Rodney Stark, and William Sims Bainbridge, religion can be defined and studied as a social construct, and its more important to study the values and crime rate of community’s rather than individuals. (Stark & Bainbridge, 1996). They also stated in their book that it has been proven that those with a strong religious affiliation are less likely to commit crimes, but it should be noted that this again is on a religious or community basis rather than on an individual