The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism · Chapter
II: The Spirit of Capitalism explained
Weber examines the contemporary manifestations of the spirit of capitalism, noting that modern capitalists often lack religious motivation and are indifferent or hostile to the Church.
What happens
Weber examines the contemporary manifestations of the spirit of capitalism, noting that modern capitalists often lack religious motivation and are indifferent or hostile to the Church. He contrasts the traditionalist economic ethic with the modern capitalist ethos, where work for profit becomes a calling and an end in itself. Weber argues that this spirit, exemplified by Benjamin Franklin, was historically considered ethically unjustifiable, as seen in Florence, yet became morally commendable in Pennsylvania. He critiques Sombart's notion of economic rationalism, asserting that rationalism develops unevenly across different life spheres, and that the rise of the capitalist spirit cannot be simply deduced from general rationalism. The chapter sets the stage for investigating the historical and religious roots of this unique ethical attitude.
Themes in this chapter
The Calling and Duty
Weber discusses how the modern capitalist entrepreneur views moneymaking as a calling, a duty that is irrational from a personal happiness perspective, and contrasts this with the traditionalist view.
Economic Traditionalism vs. Modern Capitalism
The chapter contrasts the traditionalist economic ethic, which tolerates profit-seeking as a necessary evil, with the modern capitalist spirit that elevates acquisition to an ethical obligation.
Rationalization and Disenchantment
Weber critiques Sombart's notion of economic rationalism, arguing that rationalization develops unevenly across life spheres, and that the capitalist spirit cannot be simply deduced from general rationalism.
Characters to notice
- Max Weber
Weber analyzes the contemporary capitalist spirit, noting its detachment from religious influences and its irrational devotion to work, and critiques Sombart's economic rationalism.
- Benjamin Franklin
Franklin's ethic is presented as the ideal type of the capitalist spirit, where moneymaking becomes a calling, and his civic efforts illustrate the rational organization of labor.
- Werner Sombart
Sombart's depiction of economic rationalism is discussed and critiqued by Weber, who argues that rationalism develops unevenly and cannot fully explain the capitalist spirit.
- Thomas Aquinas
Aquinas's characterization of the desire for gain as turpitudo is cited as an example of the Catholic doctrine that rejected the spirit of capitalistic acquisition.
- Jacob Fugger
Fugger is referenced in the broader context of capitalistic entrepreneurs, though not directly in this excerpt, as a contrast to the ascetic entrepreneur.
Key passages
“The people filled with the spirit of capitalism today tend to be indifferent, if not hostile, to the Church.”
Modern capitalists often have no religious affiliation and may even oppose the Church.
Weber observes that the contemporary capitalist spirit is detached from religious influences.
“That anyone should be able to make it the sole purpose of his lifework, to sink into the grave weighed down with a great material load of money and goods, seems to him explicable only as the product of a perverse instinct, the auri sacra fames.”
To the pre-capitalist mind, devoting one's life to accumulating wealth is seen as a perverse obsession with money.
Weber contrasts the modern capitalist's devotion to work with the traditionalist's incomprehension.
“The capitalistic system so needs this devotion to the calling of making money, it is an attitude toward material goods which is so well suited to that system, so intimately bound up with the conditions of survival in the economic struggle for existence, that there can today no longer be any question of a necessary connection of that acquisitive manner of life with any single Weltanschauung.”
The capitalist system requires a devotion to moneymaking as a calling, but this attitude is now so ingrained that it no longer depends on any particular worldview, including religion.
Weber argues that the capitalist spirit has become self-sustaining and independent of religious support.
“To speak here of a reflection of material conditions in the ideal superstructure would be patent nonsense.”
It would be absurd to claim that the capitalist spirit is merely a reflection of material conditions.
Weber rejects a simplistic materialist explanation for the rise of the capitalist ethic.
