1.6: The Protestant Work Ethic: Max Weber
Max Weber (1864–1920), a German sociologist, believed that traditional hierarchical societies based on honor, prestige, and religion tended to discourage ownership of capital and modern industrial and commercial enterprises. The rise of Protestantism, particularly Calvinist theology (a major branch of Protestantism), influenced the rise of modern capitalism by reducing the importance of these societal hierarchies in favor of individual freedoms and the entrepreneurial spirit. He wrote, "the Protestants of Germany are today absorbed in worldly economic life, and their upper ranks are most indifferent to religion". He describes "materialistic joy" and an "intimate relationship" with "capitalistic acquisition".
Read this biographical article about Max Weber. Weber's specific interest in the intersection of economics, social class, and religion also gives context to Weber's other works through the same lens.
Watch this video about Weber's Protestant Ethic. It is an interesting contextualization of Weber's thinking about economic theory, particularly as affected by religious affiliation. In particular, it covers contemporary viewpoints about various distinctions between Protestant and Catholic ethics.