the protestant work ethic and the spirit of capitalism

Thus Protestants were not working in order to achieve salvation but viewed work as the means by which they could be a blessing to others. In light of salvation being a gift of grace, Protestants viewed work as stewardship given to them. įor Protestants, salvation is a gift from God this is the Protestant distinction of sola gratia.

Whereas Catholicism teaches that good works are required of Catholics as a necessary manifestation of the faith they received, and that faith apart from works is dead and barren, the Calvinist theologians taught that only those who were predestined to be saved would be saved. Thus, the Catholic idea of good works was transformed into an obligation to consistently work diligently as a sign of grace. Protestants, beginning with Martin Luther, conceptualized worldly work as a duty which benefits both the individual and society as a whole. The concept is often credited with helping to define the societies of Northern, Central and Northwestern Europe as well as the United States of America. Just as priests and caring professionals are deemed to have a vocation (or 'calling' from God) for their work, according to the Protestant work ethic the 'lowly' workman also has a noble vocation which he can fulfill through dedication to his work. In opposition to Weber, historians such as Fernand Braudel and Hugh Trevor-Roper assert that the Protestant work ethic did not create capitalism and that capitalism developed in pre-Reformation Catholic communities. It is one of the most influential and cited books in sociology, although the thesis presented has been controversial since its release.

Weber asserted that Protestant ethics and values, along with the Calvinist doctrines of asceticism and predestination, enabled the rise and spread of capitalism. The phrase was initially coined in 1905 by Max Weber in his book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. It emphasizes that diligence, discipline, and frugality are a result of a person's subscription to the values espoused by the Protestant faith, particularly Calvinism. The Protestant work ethic, also known as the Calvinist work ethic or the Puritan work ethic, is a work ethic concept in scholarly sociology, economics, and historiography.

For Weber's book, see The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.

The protestant work ethic and the spirit of capitalism