SparkNotes: The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism: Quiz

According to Weber, how do Protestants and Catholics compare in terms of the number who become business leaders and capitalists?

(A) more Catholic business leaders than Protestant ones

(B) more Protestant business leaders than Catholic ones

(C) no significant difference between the number of Catholic and Protestant business leaders

(D) neither Catholics nor Protestants have shown any interest in business at all

Who does Weber give as an example of somebody who embodies the spirit of capitalism?

(A) Thomas Jefferson

(B) George Washington

(C) Samuel Adams

(D) Benjamin Franklin

Which religion does Weber argue has the most unique consistency and psychological power?

(A) Calvinism

(B) Pietism

(C) Methodism

(D) the Baptist sects

Which of the following was a psychological result of believing the doctrine of predestination?

(A) increased reliance on magic

(B) intense inner loneliness

(C) increased sympathy for sinners

(D) all of the above

Which doctrine would Weber consider most "rational"?

(A) salvation through the accumulation of good works

(B) salvation through the sacraments

(C) a systematic and methodical proof of faith through worldly activity

(D) none of the above

Which religion did Weber argue was least emotional?

(A) the Baptist sects

(B) Methodism

(C) Pietism

(D) Calvinism

According to Weber, when did worldly activity gain religious significance?

(A) during the War of the Roses

(B) during the fall of the Roman Empire

(C) during the Renaissance

(D) during the Reformation

What image does Weber use to explain the situation of modern individuals facing the capitalist spirit?

(A) an iron curtain

(B) an iron cage

(C) a sinking ship

(D) a ship trapped in fog

What does Weber say is one difference between the Puritans and modern man?

(A) the Puritans believed in magic; we are rationalistic

(B) the Puritans lived when capitalism was at its peak; we live when capitalism is in decline

(C) the Puritans had a capitalistic spirit; we do not

(D) the Puritans wanted to work in a calling; we are forced to do so

What does Weber say the influence of wealth is?

(A) wealth tends to make people more secular

(B) wealth tends to make people more religious

(C) wealth tends to make people more intellectual

(D) wealth tends to make people less intellectual

According to Weber, when did the term "calling" gain significance?

(A) the Middle Ages

(B) antiquity

(C) the Renaissance

(D) the Reformation

Which religion did Weber say had the LEAST impact on the development of the spirit of capitalism?

(A) Calvinism

(B) the Baptist sects

(C) Lutheranism

(D) Pietism

According to Weber, how would a "traditionalist" laborer respond to an increase in pay per unit produced?

(A) he would work more, in order to get even more money

(B) he would work less, and enjoy the same income and lifestyle

(C) he would work the same amount, and enjoy slightly more income

(D) he would stop working and send his children out to work

According to Weber, what usually caused people to move away from traditionalism in business?

(A) more money

(B) new technology

(C) new spirit

(D) new political system

In what area does Weber say that the West is more rational than the rest of the world?

(A) science

(B) history

(C) art

(D) all of the above

Which statement best characterizes Weber's view on the rise of capitalism in the West?

(A) it was the inevitable result of human progress

(B) it was solely caused by ascetic Protestant religious values

(C) it was a contingent historical development

(D) it was solely caused by economic institutions

Which of the following is a trait of what Weber calls "rationalization"?

(A) increased systematization

(B) increased consistency

(C) increased efficiency

(D) all of the above

Which of the following is a trait of traditionalism?

(A) the desire to live as you are used to living

(B) the desire to make profit for its own sake

(C) the desire for strict frugality

(D) none of the above

What does Weber argue is the relationship between the concept of a "calling" and the fate of traditionalism?

(A) the idea of a calling is incompatible with traditionalism

(B) the idea of a calling is not inconsistent with traditionalism, but does not require it

(C) the idea of a calling requires traditionalism

(D) the idea of a calling precedes traditionalism

When did Weber first publish The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism?

(A) early twentieth century

(B) late nineteenth century

(C) late twentieth century

(D) early nineteenth century

Where was Weber from?

(A) United States

(B) France

(C) Germany

(D) England

What social theory does Weber dismiss as naïve and simplistic?

(A) utilitarianism

(B) materialism

(C) post-modernism

(D) transcendentalism

Which discipline does Weber utilize in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism?

(A) sociology

(B) history

(C) economics

(D) all of the above

How does Weber conclude The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism?

(A) declares that economic conditions had no influence on the development of ascetic Protestantism

(B) describes areas where further study would be desirable

(C) declares his original hypothesis to be incorrect

(D) all of the above

What was the Puritans' attitude toward relaxation?

(A) relaxation was a necessary time for solitary contemplation of God

(B) relaxation was only acceptable when one had provided for all of the necessities of life

(C) relaxation was a waste of God's time

(D) none of the above