Weber Tawney Essay

Introduction

The Reformation was a period of extraordinary change across Europe ultimately leading to the rise and creation of Protestantism. It came about as a response, to the then perceived, corruption and abuse of the Catholic church’s hierarchical power. Led by Martin Luther in 1517, who was a German monk at the time, he declared a formal assault against the Catholic Church. He believed that salvation of the Christian’s soul need not be achieved by prescribed deeds but the individual was responsible for their own salvation through pureness in heart and one’s own relationship with God.

Protestantism had given away to several branches including Lutheranism founded in Germany by Martin Luther and Calvanism founded in England by John Calvin. Calvanism was further separated into three main streams, those being Presbyterianism, Congregationalism and Puritanism.[1] As a result of these new religious sects, with the Reformation, there came many changes within the basic ideologies by which persons lived by, as well as changes relating to the political and economic realms of society. Of particular interest has been the role of religion in the development of capitalism.

Max Weber, a German political economist and sociologist, has attempted to address this issue and has also initiated a debate, which appears to be a never-ending one. Though capitalistic beginnings may have been around for many years before and also in non-European cultures, what interested Weber was not the causal effect of religion on capitalism but rather, the role it played in the development of the “spirit of capitalism.” Weber draws on the Calvanist teachings and later on Puritan works to help demonstrate his thesis. However, due to the intricacies of these religious sects, there have been widespread misinterpretations on both sides of the debate.

It will be the goal of this essay to show how Protestantism may have facilitated the development of modern capitalism and to...