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Overview
The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism was written by German sociologist and economist Max Weber and first published in 1905
. The book examines the relationship between the ethics of ascetic Protestantism and the emergence of the spirit of modern capitalism, with Weber contending that the religious ideas of the Calvinists and related groups played an important role in the development of the capitalistic spirit.Weber argues that Calvinists developed a deep psychological need for clues about whether one was saved, which led to them interpreting profit and material success as signs of God’s favor.
Read the overall summary and three Question & Answers about key ideas in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.
