The Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism with other writings on the rise of the West / Max Weber ; translated and introduced by Stephen Kalberg.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Weber, Max, 1864-1920.

Contributor:

Kalberg, Stephen.

Standardized Title:

Protestantische Ethik und der Geist des Kapitalismus. English

Language:

English

German

Subjects (All):

Capitalism--Religious aspects--Protestant churches.

Capitalism.

Protestant work ethic.

Physical Description:

xviii, 582 pages ; 24 cm

Edition:

Fourth edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Oxford University Press, 2009.

Summary:

For more than 100 years, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism has set the parameters for the debate over the origins of modern capitalism. Now more timely and thought-provoking than ever, this esteemed classic of twentieth-century social science examines the deep cultural "frame of mind" that influences work life to this day in northern America and Western Europe. Stephen Kalberg's internationally acclaimed translation captures the essence of Weber's style as well as the subtlety of his descriptions and causal arguments.

Now, for the first time in one volume, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism with Other Writings on the Rise of the West integrates Weber's exploration of the spirit of capitalism's origins with his larger project: a multi-causal analysis of the West's distinctiveness and its sources. Weber's texts present wide-ranging discussions on the Western city, state, forms of rulership and law, and modes of economic innovation. Moreover, in many selections Weber offers in-depth and insightful comparisons to China and India. Readings on the "economic ethics" of Confucianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Catholicism further illuminate the distinct qualities of the West's trajectory and its diverse causes. A separate section examines the long-range influence of the ascetic Protestant sects and churches on American society.

To draw readers into the material, this engaging volume includes extended introductions by the editor, many new translations, a chronology of Weber's life, an expanded glossary and bibliography, and numerous clarifying endnotes. In addition, Kalberg addresses a variety of debates concerning the central elements of contemporary life. Ideal for courses in sociology, anthropology, political science, history, international relations, and economics, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism with Other Writings on the Rise of the West is an essential resource for anyone seeking to understand the origins and endurance of the modern West.

Contents:

General Introduction: Max Weber and the Modern West vii

1 The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism 1

Introduction to the Translation / Stephen Kalberg 3

Introduction to The Protestant Ethic / Stephen Kalberg 7

Part I The Problem

Chapter I Religious Affiliation and Social Stratification 61

Chapter II The Spirit of Capitalism 69

Chapter III Luther's Conception of the Calling 89

The Task of the Investigation 95

Part II The Vocational Ethic of Ascetic Protestantism

Chapter IV The Religious Foundations of This-Worldly Asceticism 101

A Calvinism 103

B Pietism 123

C Methodism 130

D The Baptizing Sects and Churches 133

Chapter V Asceticism and the Spirit of Capitalism 141

2 The Protestant Sects in America and the Uniqueness of Western Rationalism 161

I The Protestant Sects and the Spirit of Capitalism 185

II "Churches" and "Sects" in North America: An Ecclesiastical Sociopolitical Sketch 200

III Prefatory Remarks to Collected Essays in the Sociology of Religion (1920) 205

3 Demarcating the Uniqueness of the West Through Comparisons: Magic and the Economic Ethics of the World Religions 221

I Main Concepts: Economic Ethics, Social Carriers, Sacred Law, and the Ethic of Conviction 238

II India: Hinduism and Buddhism 257

III China: Confucianism 268

IV Confucianism and Puritanism 275

V Judaism 290

VI The Middle East: Islam 300

VII The West: Ancient Christianity and Catholicism 304

4 The Rise of Modern Capitalism: The Western Rationalism and Modern Western Rationalism Deep Contexts 311

I Comparative Cases: China and India 349

II The Ancient and Medieval Cities in the West: Fraternization, Incorporation, and the Dissolution of Clan Ties 370

III The Putting-Out System, Modes of Financing, Mercantilism, and the Factory 377

IV The Definition of Modern Capitalism, and the Relationship of Feudalism and Patrimonialism to Capitalism 392

V The West's Cross-State Competition versus Hierocracy and Caesaropapism 397

VI Juridical Formalism and the Rational State 400

VII Ethos and Education under Feudalism and Patrimonialism, Clerical Education, and the Puritans' Mass Intellectualism 407

VIII The Sect, Democracy, Tolerance, Freedom of Conscience, and a Cosmos of Abstract Norms 413

IX Bureaucratization, Democracy, and Modern Capitalism 416

X The Impersonality of the Market and Discipline in the Modern Capitalist Factory 426

Appendix I Weber's Summary Statements on "The Protestant Ethic Thesis" 431

A The Development of the Capitalist Frame of Mind (1919-1920) 431

B A Final Rebuttal to a Critic of "Spirit of Capitalism" (1910) 435

Appendix II Reading The Protestant Ethic: The Text and the Endnotes 449

Appendix III Suggested Further Reading 455

A The Protestant Ethic Thesis and the Protestant Ethic Debate 455

B Max Weber: Life and Work 456

Notes for The Protestant Ethic 458

A Writings of Max Weber 553

B Secondary Literature Cited 554

A Chronology of Max Weber's Life 557.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 553-555) and indexes.

ISBN:

9780195332537

0195332539

OCLC:

223877843