The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism with Other Writings on the Rise of the West

by Weber, Max; Kalberg, Stephen

• ISBN13: 9780195332537
• ISBN10: 0195332539
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2008-09-04
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

For more than 100 years, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism has set the parameters for the debate over the origins of modern capitalism. Now more timely and thought-provoking than ever, this esteemed classic of twentieth-century social science examines the deep cultural "frameof mind" that influences work life to this day in northern America and Western Europe. Stephen Kalberg's internationally acclaimed translation captures the essence of Weber's style as well as the subtlety of his descriptions and causal arguments. Now, for the first time in one volume, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism with Other Writings on the Rise of the West integrates Weber's exploration of the spirit of capitalism's origins with his larger project: a multi-causal analysis of the West's distinctiveness and its sources.Weber's texts present wide-ranging discussions on the Western city, state, forms of rulership and law, and modes of economic innovation. Moreover, in many selections Weber offers in-depth and insightful comparisons to China and India. Readings on the "economic ethics" of Confucianism, Buddhism,Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Catholicism further illuminate the distinct qualities of the West's trajectory and its diverse causes. A separate section examines the long-range influence of the ascetic Protestant sects and churches on American society. To draw readers into the material, this engaging volume includes extended introductions by the editor, many new translations, a chronology of Weber's life, an expanded glossary and bibliography, and numerous clarifying endnotes. In addition, Kalberg addresses a variety of debates concerning thecentral elements of contemporary life. Ideal for courses in sociology, anthropology, political science, history, international relations, and economics, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism with Other Writings on the Rise of the West is an essential resource for anyone seeking tounderstand the origins and endurance of the modern West.

Author Biography

Stephen Kalberg is Associate Professor of Sociology at Boston University and an affiliate of the Minda de Gunzburg Center for European Studies at Harvard University. He is the editor of Max Weber: Readings and Commentary on Modernity (2005) and author of Max Weber's Comparative-Historical Sociology (1994). He teaches courses in sociological theory and comparative political cultures.

Table of Contents

General Introduction: Max Weber and the Modern West	p. vii
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism	p. 1
Introduction to the Translation	p. 3
Introduction to The Protestant Ethic	p. 7
Endnotes	p. 49
References	p. 54
The Problem
Religious Affiliation and Social Stratification	p. 61
The Spirit of Capitalism	p. 69
Luther's Conception of the Calling	p. 89
The Task of the Investigation	p. 95
The Vocational Ethic of Ascetic Protestantism
The Religious Foundations of This-Worldly Asceticism	p. 101
Calvinism	p. 103
Pietism	p. 123
Methodism	p. 130
The Baptizing Sects and Churches	p. 133
Asceticism and the Spirit of Capitalism	p. 141
The Protestant Sects in America and the Uniqueness of Western Rationalism	p. 161
Introduction	p. 163
The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism	p. 185
"Churches" and "Sects" in North America: An Ecclesiastical Sociopolitical Sketch	p. 200
Prefatory Remarks to Collected Essays in the Sociology of Religion (1920)	p. 205
Demarcating the Uniqueness of the West Through Comparisons: Magic and the Economic Ethics of the World Religions	p. 221
Introduction	p. 223
Main Concepts: Economic Ethics, Social Carriers, Sacred Law, and the Ethic of Conviction	p. 238
India: Hinduism and Buddhism	p. 257
China: Confucianism	p. 268
Confucianism and Puritanism	p. 275
Judaism	p. 290
The Middle East: Islam	p. 300
The West: Ancient Christianity and Catholicism	p. 304
The Rise of Modern Capitalism: The Western Rationalism and Modern Western Rationalism Deep Contexts	p. 311
Introduction	p. 313
Comparative Cases: China and India	p. 349
The Ancient and Medieval Cities in the West: Fraternization, Incorporation, and the Dissolution of Clan Ties	p. 370
The Putting-Out System, Modes of Financing, Mercantilism, and the Factory	p. 377
The Definition of Modern Capitalism, and the Relationship of Feudalism and Patrimonialism to Capitalism	p. 392
The West's Cross-State Competition versus Hierocracy and Caesaropapism	p. 397
Juridical Formalism and the Rational State	p. 400
Ethos and Education under Feudalism and Patrimonialism, Clerical Education, and the Puritans' Mass Intellectualism	p. 407
The Sect, Democracy, Tolerance, Freedom of Conscience, and a Cosmos of Abstract Norms	p. 413
Bureaucratization, Democracy, and Modern Capitalism	p. 416
The Impersonality of the Market and Discipline in the Modern Capitalist Factory	p. 426
Weber's Summary Statements on "The Protestant Ethic Thesis"	p. 431
The Development of the Capitalist Frame of Mind (1919-1920)	p. 431
A Final Rebuttal to a Critic of "Spirit of Capitalism" (1910)	p. 435
Reading The Protestant Ethic: The Text and the Endnotes	p. 449
Suggested Further Reading	p. 455
The Protestant Ethic Thesis and the Protestant Ethic Debate	p. 455
Max Weber: Life and Work	p. 456
Notes for The Protestant Ethic	p. 458
Literature Cited	p. 553
Writings of Max Weber	p. 553
Secondary Literature Cited	p. 554
Acknowledgments	p. 556
A Chronology of Max Weber's Life	p. 557
Glossary	p. 560
Name Index	p. 571
Subject Index	p. 575
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