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Protestant Work Ethic Analysis

1445 Words6 Pages

This paper integrates material and ideological conditions. It will incorporate these ideas thorough analyzing the economic problem, market society and changes in the workplace. This essay will prove how the market society has been influenced by shifts in the work place and the significance of the fundamental transformations. The ultimate goal of this essay is to demonstrate the characteristics of market society, changes in the work place as well as the market society in comparison to previous social organizations. In addition to that this essay will highlight the role the “Protestant work ethic” and the “Spirit of Capitalism” has played in the emergence of market society.
To begin, I will focus on the material conditions and their effect on …show more content…

Firstly, the “Protestant work ethic” refers to the contributions religion has made towards shaping the market society. The notions if traditionalism was introduced long before capitalism (Johnston, lecture). Along with this was presented the idea of Calvinism by John Calvin (Weber, 207). Calvinism work ethics taught people to work as little as possible (Johnston, lecture). The idea of earning more money didn’t appeal to them in any way. In traditionalism the main goal was to work as little as possible. John Calvin believed that work is good for you and that hard work is a value in its self (Johnston, lecture). He also believed money should not be what motivates a person to work hard. The Protestants believed God gives everyone work and by working hard one becomes closer to God. Furthermore, traditionalism gave economic activity religious sanctions (Johnston, lecture). On the other hand in the market society that exists today we are all about working as much as we can to make the most amount of money. This is the society we live in. In market society everything is a commodity and in order to buy those commodities one needs to earn money. Money is earned through working. Therefore, the more you work the more money you earn which provide for the necessities of life such as food, shelter, and clothing among other …show more content…

“The Spirit of Capitalism” is a not a religious notion, but rather a notion of a ethic and it is this ethic that Weber calls the Protestant ethic (Johnston, lecture). This ethic was practiced in the workplace before the existence of market society. For instance, the idea of hard work comes from within this ethic (Johnston, lecture). Moreover, in his work Weber reveals the idea of Calvinism by John Calvin. Calvinism demonstrates the old spirit of Capitalism as well as the new. For example, the spirit of capitalism can be found in the older generation in our society. What we call hard work in their eyes is taking it easy. Calvinism is connected to the early spirit of Capitalism (Johnston, lecture). This idea of Calvinism is what prompted this transition into market society. As a result, the spirit of Capitalism helped develop the existing market

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