• 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".