Weberian view of religion

Question 1

Does this view state religion is a conservative or dynamic force?

Answer 1

Dynamic

Question 2

What did Max Weber study?

Answer 2

Studied why England was the first country in the world to industrialise in about 1760. He said religious ideas helped bring about the Industrial Revolution.

Question 3

What did Weber say about the first Capitalists?

Answer 3

The first capitalists who built and ran the early factories were also Christian Calvinists.

Question 4

What is Calvinism?

Answer 4

A form of Protestantism founded by John Calvin during the Reformation

Question 5

What were the Calvinists’ two key beliefs?

Answer 5

1) Belief in predestination
2) They were puritans

Question 6

Explain the belief in predestination

Answer 6

This means God has already decided if you are going to heaven and nothing you do on earth can alter this decision.
This caused ‘Salvation anxiety’ and made the Calvinists look for ‘signs’ they were going to heaven.
One sign could be economic success and owning lots of factories.

Question 7

Explain the belief “they were puritans”

Answer 7

This meant they couldn’t waste money and spend it on luxuries but must reinvest it. This meant they became even more successful.

Question 8

Therefore, what did Weber argue?

Answer 8

Therefore Weber argues that if it wasn’t for religious ideas the industrial revolution would have happened in a different country at a different time. Religion was a dynamic force as this example shows.

Question 9

Give some evaluations of Weber

Answer 9

• Some historians have argued that Capitalism came before Calvinism.
• Capitalism didn’t develop in every country where there were lots of Calvinists e.g. Scotland.
• Why would anyone want to be a Calvinist? Being a Calvinist didn’t promise them salvation only uncertainty and you couldn’t even enjoy your wealth!