Weber A The Protestant Ethic Sociology Essay

weber A The Protestant ethic Sociology EssayMarx weber in his writing entit take The Protestant value orientation and the tint of Capitalism, has had an enduring impact on the field of frugal history. weber presents the argument that religion in trustworthy holds and shipway had a critical influence ripe capitalist economy and society. He guesss that Puritan morality and ideas influenced the information of capitalism.He supports his argument by examining the birth among the heathenalals of ascetic Protestantism and the beginnings of youthful capitalism. weber presents the problem of linking religion to the spirit of capitalism. He explains different religions and how they play into his bailiwick. weber begins by comparing the differences between Catholics and Protestants. Although weber admits that by dint of history some of the richer argonas tended to covert to Protestantism and that Protestants gener every last(predicate)y had a greater inherited wealth, this does not wholly explain the greater participation in capitalism shown by the Protestants. He believes that environment has a great effect on determining choice of occupation, but that Protestants throw withal shown a strong drift to develop economic freethinking more so than Catholics. One explanation weber provides for this is that Catholics tend to be more other(a) servicemanly than Protestants and in that respectfore do not put as ofttimes importance on material gains. weber mentions Catholics show a stronger propensity to remain in their crafts that is they more often suffer master craftsmen, whereas the Protestants argon attracted to a larger extent into the factories in order to fill the upper ranks of skillful labour and administrative position (Weber, 3).Catholics answer with the accusation that materialism results from the secularization of all models through Protestantism (Weber, 4). yettide though Catholic gets involved in economic activities, Protestants pi ss stronger tendency to develop economic rationalism and Catholic criticizes Protestants materialism. He bases his argument on his observations in Germany and elsewhere, and this is why he focuses his argument on the Protestants. Weber also explains about the spirit of capitalism. There ar conceptualizing the spirit of capitalism. Weber presents excerpt from the wirings of Benjamin Franklin. Franklin writes that quantify is money, credit is money, and the good paymaster is lord of another mans purse. Franklins moral beliefs are useful to promote profit for individuals. Weber mentions It is, namely, by no means exceptional, but rather the rule, for him to have a sort of modesty which is essentially more honest than the reserve which Franklin so shrewdly recommends (Weber, 19). In addition, Weber mentions about the importance of judge capitalistic system to make money. He says the capitalistic system so needs this devotion to the affair of making money it is an attitude toward m aterial goods which is so well sited to that system, so intimately bound up with the conditions of survival in the economic struggle for existence( Weber, 19).Weber also makes a point about shout outing and reformation. Weber does not think that calling explain the spirit of capitalism. Weber mentions that Luther substantial the conception and activity as a reformer. However, Weber says that Martin Luther was a traditionalist and so believed in obedience to Gods pass on and acceptances of the way things are, that Lutheranism did not have great significance in the development of the capitalistic spirit. Weber argues that on that point is no relationship between the spirit of capitalism and reformation and tries to opine how religion has impact on material cultures development. Weber says we have no intention whatever of maintain such a foolish and doctrinaire thesis, as that the spirit of capitalism could only have arisen as the result of certain effects of the Reformation, or e ven that capitalism as an economic system is creation of the Reformation (Weber, 28).Weber also mentions four straits forms of ascetic Protestantism which are Calvinism, Pietism, Methodism, and Baptist inclinement. He continues by explaining some of the set involved with these other sects although its clear that Calvinism will be the most important to his argument. Weber assumes that Calvinism influences in Western Europe in the seventeenth century. He notices that western Europe had followed Calvinist Protestantism. Calvinists saw their work as a calling from God and it was a moral duty. God does not exist for men, but men for the sake of God. All creation, including of course the fact, as it undoubtedly was for Calvin, that only a small proportion of men are chose for eternal grace, can have any meaning only as means to the glory and majesty of God( Weber, 33). They believed in the elect. They are elect and predestined by God. However, Lutheran Protestantism was different. It b elieved that people could earn a place in Heaven through good works on earth.It seems capitalist ideology, but Lutheran Protestantism encouraged people to earn no more than they needed to survive. The problem with Calvinist Protestantism was that they did not know they would go to hell or heaven. Weber mentions on the one hand it is held to be an absolute duty to consider oneself chosen, and to combat all doubts are temptations of the devil(Weber, 37). Their uncertainty led them to work intemperate and that was for Gods favor. So their hard work led to the development of capitalism. They denied facilitate and pleasure to themselves and despised laziness and hedonism. They made money for its own sake. Weber emphasizes that the spirit of capitalism is the pass judgments and attitude behind making money. Weber concludes that religion could cause economic change. Pietism is closely machine-accessible with Calvinism and gets influences by Lutheran Protestantism. However according to Weber it has an uncertain basis for asceticism and is therefore less(prenominal)(prenominal) consistent than Calvinism. Methodism has a similar uncertain rigation similar to Pietism and is also has some key fruit differences from Calvinisms doctrinal basis. And finally the Baptist sects had quite a different foundation than Calvinism. Finally, Weber wants to figure out the relationships between ascetic Protestantism and the spirit of capitalism. Overall, Webers intent was to prove the positive correlation between capitalist spirit and Protestant religion.B. Choose one article from the list at the end of this examIn the article, Ethnic Differences in Endorsement of the Protestant Work Ethic The Role of Ethnic Identity and Perceptions of Social Class by Kevin Cokley, Komarraju, Pickett, Shen, Patel, Belur, and Rosales, examined ethnic differences in endorsement of the Protestant work ethic (PWE) among Black and White college students and differences in ethnic identity and percepti ons of favorable manakin mediated the relationship between ethnicity and the endorsement of PWE values.The Protestant Work Ethic (PWE) is an important aspect of U.S and authors mentions the traditional American values which have been associated with White culture, includes individualism, competition, orientation, and the PWE. Authors mention the PWE is a value system that stresses the moral value of work, self-discipline, and individual responsibility in forming a way to improve ones economic well-being (Cokley et al 2007 76). They found that the PWE is related to attributions of greater personal obligation. However, Niles stated that there seems to be a stronger commitment to a Protestant work ethic among non-Protestant cultures. They found that the PWE is now more a materialization of culture than of religious values or nationality. Authors examined multi heathenish differences in the PWE within the United States and their goal was to find which ethnicity might affect endorsem ent of the PWE.According to Cokley et al, differences in the importance of ethnic identity arise among ethnic minorities and Whites and ethnic identity caries in importance and strength among ethnic group members. They say we believed that cultural values like the PWE that promote individual responsibility while minimizing the impact of societal oppression on ethnic minorities such as Blacks would be negatively related to ethnic identity they also found that well- educated individuals are less likely to endorse PWE values due to the fact that well- educated individuals are more likely to be aware of systems of oppression, such as racism, sexism, homophobia. In addition, the PWE is also related to complaisant coterie. They figure out Blacks face more negative perceptions about their work ethic from employers than do Whites and that employer see inner-city poor Blacks as especially problematic (Cokley et al 200779).Authors used three measures which are Protestant Ethic Scale (PES), Multigroup Ethnic Identity Measure (NEIM), and Demographic sheet. After they examined, they found that Black students the PWE was not importantly correlated with ethnic identity. Blacks were higher in ethnic identity than were Whites, but the relationship between ethnic identity and PWE was not significant. However, they found that ethnic identity and perceptions of social class can count for ethnic differences in endorsement of the PWE.Black students had a significantly lower PWE compared with White students. This indicates that they were less likely to believe that works hard will succeed. They mention the Black students or their close friends and family members may have had experiences that led them to believe that an individuals life outcomes are influences by much more than simply hard work because there ae other external, uncontrollable social forces( racism, sexism, discrimination) that can influence outcomes more than does ones own individual effort. On the other hand, whit es are opposite. They tend to believe a strong positive relationship between working hard and achieving success. It indicates that White students were more likely to endorse PWE beliefs than were Black students. They mention the most significant result of this study was the emergence of perceptions of social class as the only significant mediator (Cokley et al 2007 85). It shows that upper nerve center class and upper class had a significantly stronger PWE than working class or middle class among Whites, but not Blacks. They argue that social class in an important because they believe that social class might influence the cultural psychology of different ethnic groups. They mention the Blacks in the present study, no matter of perceived social class, were less likely to endorse the PWE, perhaps because they may have experienced head start hand that the application of the PWE does not always result in meritocratic economic outcomes (Cokley et al 2007 87).2.A. elemental elements o f bureaucratism that Weber describes.In the article, bureaucracy, Weber believes that bureaucracy is a particular type of administrative social structure developed through authority. Weber attributes the development of bureaucracy to the increase in rationalization in modern societies. Weber says Bureaucracy, thus infrastood, is fully developed in political and ecclesiastical communities only in the modern state, and, in the private economy, only in the most advanced institutions of capitalism (Weber 1946196). Weber argues that bureaucracies have existed in places such as Egypt, the Roman Catholic Church, and China. Weber mentions a certain measure of a developed money economy is the normal precondition for the unchanged and continued existence, if not for the boldness, of pure bureaucratic administrations (Weber 1946205).Bureaucracy is organized as a hierarchical system of offices that are governed by rules. For Weber the term bureaucracy are inseparable from the term rationali ty. According to Weber, there are ways of developing bureaucracies rational which are functional specialization, clear lines of hierarchical authority, expert cookery of managers, and decision making based on rules. Weber argues that such specialization is essential to a rational bureaucracy. His idea of functional specialization applies to persons within an plaque and to relations between larger units or constituents of the organization. For example, work was broken down into many special tasks and employees were designate few such tasks. Divisions of large organizations require clear lines of authority organized in a hierarchy. And division of labour is more fundamental that the others because it initiates and orders other divisions of labour. In addition, hierarchical authority is required in bureaucracies so that highly trained experts can he properly used as managers. He argues that managers at all levels have to be trained for their specific jobs. He mentions the demand fo r administration by trained experts is considerable, and the company followings have to recognize an intellectually developed, educated, and freely moving public opinion, the use of unqualified officials falls back end upon the party in power at the next election(Weber 1946201).Development is greatly furthered by the social prestige of the educational certificates acquired through such specialized examinations. This is all the more the case at the educational obvious is turned to economic advantage (Weber 1946241). Weber mentions the importance of education which can develop economic.Lastly, Weber makes a point that rational bureaucracies must be managed in accordance with carefully developed rules and principles that can be learned and applied and that transactions and decisions must be recorded so that rules can be reviewed. He mentions the management of the office follows general rules, which are more or less stable, more or less exhaustive, and which can be learned (Weber, 19 46198). Weber sees bureaucracy as one of the most important causes of the development of capitalism specifically.B. The strengths and dangers of bureaucracy that Weber describes.According to Max Weber, that bureaucracy are the most efficient form of administration and inevitable in the modern society. Weber offers a positive of bureaucracy through his ideal description of the administrative system as a rational and efficient type of organization. Bureaucracy is an administrative structure through hierarchical relations and pre-established spheres of competence. the large corporation as a type of bureaucratic organization that rivaled the state bureaucracy in achieving rational efficiency and calculated results (Rubenstein 197855).One of the strengths of bureaucracy is dole out of official business in strict accordance with the duty of every member, chosen through achromatic criteria to perform designated tasks subject to strict rules of practice. He mentions Precision, speed, unam biguity, knowledge of the files, continuity, discretion, unity, strict, subordination, reduction of friction and of material and personal costs, these are raised to the optimum points in the strictly bureaucratic administration. (Weber1946 214). Also, Weber says that the organizations structuring into a vertical hierarchy to be governed by the rights to supervision and appeal. The military is an example of bureaucratic organization. Weber says Specifically, military discipline and technical training can be normally and fully developed, at least to its modern high level, only in the bureaucratic army (Weber 1946222). Its specific nature, which is welcomed by capitalism, develops the more perfectly the more the bureaucracy is dehumanized, the more entirely it succeeded, in eliminating form official business love, hatred, and all purely personal, irrational, and emotional elements which escape calculation( Weber 1946216).However, Weber also fears that people would become too controlle d by people who are superior and too much rules and regulations deprive of peoples freedom. Weber argues about the consequences of bureaucracies in modern societies. He feels they represented a grave holy terror to individual liberty. Also, bureaucracy provides structure of domination. Governance in a class-based society resulted to abuse of power of the booze drop deadership resulting to corruption, and political infighting. A bureaucracy is organized as a hierarchical system of offices that are governed by rules. Each office has a sphere of tasks, and the offices operate and interact according to an explicit se of procedures. Power resides in offices. Office holders besides act out the responsibilities of their offices. furthermore, He notes No machinery in the world functions so precisely as this apparatus of men and, moreover, so cheaplyrational calculation, reduces every prole to a cog in this bureaucratic machine and, seeing himself in this light, he will merely ask how to transform himself into a somewhat bigger cog..The passion for bureaucratization drives us to despair (Weber). Power is transaction by bureaucrats whose interest is in regulation rather than principles. Individual are lost in the large machinery of the bureaucratic organization. These bureaucracies become structures of domination. They govern social action on a regular basis, and they establish and convey patterns of inequality.Weber mentions the bureaucratic tendency has chiefly been influenced by needs arising from the creation of standing armies as determine by power politics and by the development of public finance connected with the military establishment (Weber 1946212). Weber implies that the decisive reason for the advance of bureaucratic organization has always been its purely technical superiority over any other form of organization (Weber 1946214).the fully developed bureaucratic mechanism he was aware of the fact that actual bureaucracies seldom achieve the level o f efficiency of the ideal type he had constructed( Rubenstein 197823).Webers writings on bureaucracy are part of a larger attempt to understand the social and political structure and the values of modern Western civilization (Rubenstein 197827).3. According to Marx, the class struggle under capitalism is between those who own the means of production, the ruling class or bourgeoisie and those who labor for a wage, the working class or proletariat. the history of all hitherto existing society is the history of call struggles( Marx, Engels 1848,3). The worker is as part of the machinery. a class of laborers, who live only so long as they find work, and who find work only so long as their labor increases capital( Marx, Engels 1848,8). Weber also describes that the ruling class makes the rules that structure society. Marx made a set of demands which are 10points programs. He believes that the implementation of those policies would lead to a classless and stateless society.A. The Cunnin g of History by Rubenstein mentions as uprooted men and women were forced to move from the countryside to the cities, they had little choice but to accept the subsistence wages offered to them in the mills and factories. The alternative was starvation. There was an great labor supply and its cost was kept at a minimum (Rubenstein 197855).Even though there are criticisms, bureaucracy remains an important administrative system. Weber recognizes the ideal benefits of bureaucracy.http//www.dailyfinance.com/article/gates-says-urgent-need-to-cut-defense/1052189/http//www.paperarticles.com/2009/06/singapore-at-50-managing-change.htmlAccording to the newspaper, capital of Singapore at 50 Managing change gives a good example of efficient bureaucracy which helps to increase economic.http//www.uow.edu.au/bmartin/pubs/90uw/uw08.htmlit provides the gap for government to function effectively and efficiently, leading the larger and larger societies, with increasingly complex and diverse ways of life for its citizens. Beyond government, numerous other social organizations, both in the public and private sectors have developed bureaucratic forms of leadership, which have succeeded in advancing the goals of their organizations.http//www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Bureaucracy( good thing, bad thing)