Weberian Approach

Religion could INFLUENCE the economic base
Calvinism assisted in the rise of Capitalism
1. Encouraged attributes like hard work, thrift, material success
  1. If someone displayed these qualities this meant to them that they would go to Heaven (predestination)
  2. Calvinism along with other causal factors e.g. advances in technology helped in the rise of Capitalism
    1. Elective affinity
2. In the West, Capitalism thrived
  1. In the East, religions like Hinduism stressed that individuals accept their lot in life
    1. Discouraged economic innovation
Religion is a vehicle of social control
1. Provided central shared values of western society
Advantages
1. Shows how the superstructure of society can influence the economic base contradicting Marx
2. Combines interpretivism and structuralism
3. In contrast to the beliefs of Durkheim and Marx, says that religion is a dynamic for social change rather than a conservative force
Disadvantages
1. Eisenstadt
  1. Did not explain why Capitalism became strong in societies where Calvinism wasn't significant
2. Kautsky
  1. Capitalism existed first and this produced the rise of Calvinism
3. Samuelson
  1. Some countries in Europe e.g. Scotland had large Calvinist communities and did not develop quickly on Capitalist lines

Resource summary

	Created by charlottearad over 9 years ago