R E L I G I O N A S A F O R C E F O R S O C I A L C H A N G E
Weber

Calvinism
Calvinists believe that those that are going to heaven
have been chosen to do so since birth (predetermined)
and this can’t be changed, so to counter this salvation
anxiety, Calvinists believe that through hard work and
asceticism they can then make themselves believe that
they are going to heaven because they are doing so well
through their calling and this makes them favoured by
God

Calvinism and Capitalism
Weber believed that this work ethic coupled with
outside factors were what drove the development of
Capitalism, these outside factors were

Hinduism and Confucianism
Criticisms include that there are religions in Asia that
are supported by the additional requirements, but do
not lead to the development of Capitalism because of
the religions focus on the spiritual over the material
1. A certain level of technology
2. A skilled and mobile workforce
3. Rational modes of law and bureaucracy

Marx’s ghost and other criticisms
Weber’s argument has been labelled as an argument
with Marx’s ghost as while Marx saw economic and
material factors as the driving force for change Weber
believed that cultural factors are needed as well. Also
not every country with a Calvinist population
developed into a Capitalist country such as Scotland
that had a high percentage of Calvinists but lacked the
outside factors from Weber’s list that were also needed
for Capitalism

More criticism
Another argument against Marx was that Calvinism
came after capitalism and was adopted by the
bourgeoisie as a means of legitimising their power over
the proletariat. Also that their proficiency in business
was because of their exclusion from other areas of
work similar to the experience of Jews in Eastern
Europe although other minorities were excluded in the
same way and didn’t develop similarly