The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism

by Weber, Max; Kalberg, Stephen

• ISBN13: 9780199747252
• ISBN10: 0199747253
• Edition: Revised
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-07-01
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

For more than 100 years, Max Weber's 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 "frame of mind" that existed at the birth of modern capitalism and to this day influences attitudes toward work in northern America and Western Europe. In this volume, Stephen Kalberg revises his internationally acclaimed translation--using shorter sentences and more lucid language--to make the work even more accessible to students and other readers. Capturing the essence of Weber's style as well as the subtlety of his descriptions and causal arguments, this is the only translation of the revised 1920 edition of The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism published since 1930. To draw readers into the material, this engaging volume includes extensive introductions by the editor, a chronology of Weber's life, a glossary, and numerous clarifying endnotes. Detailed commentaries discuss the controversies Weber addressed, explain his complex causal argument by reference to the general contours of his sociology, summarize the history of "the Protestant Ethic debate," and examine the significance of "the Protestant Sects" essays. Ideal for courses in sociology, anthropology, political science, history, international relations, economics, and cultural studies, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism is an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand 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.

Table of Contents

The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
Introduction to the Translation	p. 3
Introduction to the Protestant Ethic	p. 8
The Problem
Religious Affiliation and Social Stratification	p. 67
The ôSpiritö of Capitalism	p. 76
Luther's Conception of the Calling	p. 99
The Task of the investigation	p. 106
The Vocational Ethic of Ascetic Protestantism
The Religious Foundations of This-Worldly Asceticism	p. 113
Calvinism	p. 115
Pietism	p. 138
Methodism	p. 146
The Baptizing Sects and Churches	p. 149
Asceticism and the Spirit of Capitalism	p. 158
The Protestant Sects in America and the Uniqueness of Western Rationalism
Introduction	p. 183
The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism	p. 209
ôChurchesö and ôSectsö in North America: an Ecclesiastical Sociopolitical Sketch	p. 227
Prefatory Remarks to Collected Essays in the Sociology of Religion (1920)	p. 233
Weber's Summary Statements on ôThe Protestant Ethic Thesisö	p. 251
The Development of the Capitalist Frame of Mind (1919-1920)	p. 251
A Final Rebuttal to a Critic of ôspirit of Capitalismö (1910)	p. 256
Reading The Protestant Ethic: The Text and the Endnotes	p. 272
Suggested Further Reading	p. 280
The Protestant Ethic Thesis and the Protestant Ethic Debate	p. 280
Max Weber: Life and Work	p. 282
Notes for the Protestant Ethic	p. 284
Literature Cited	p. 401
Writings of Max Weber	p. 401
Secondary Literature Cited	p. 403
Acknowledgments	p. 411
A Chronology of Max Weber's Life	p. 412
Glossary	p. 416
Name Index	p. 429
Subject Index	p. 435
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