Summary
Weber begins this chapter by looking at the word "calling." Both the German
word "Beruf" and the English word "calling" have a religious connotation
of a task set
by God. This type of word has existed for all Protestant peoples, but not for
Catholics or
in antiquity. Like the word itself, the idea of a calling is new; it is a
product of the
Reformation. Its newness comes in giving worldly activity a religious
significance. People have a duty to fulfill the obligations imposed upon them
by their position in the world. Martin Luther developed this idea; each
legitimate calling has the
same worth to God. This "moral justification of worldly activity" was one of
the most
important contributions of the Reformation, and particularly of Luther's role in
it.
However, it cannot be said that Luther actually had the spirit of capitalism.
The way in
which the idea of worldly labor in a calling would evolve depended on the
evolution of
different Protestant churches. The Bible itself suggested a traditionalistic
interpretation,
and Luther himself was a traditionalist. He came to believe in absolute
obedience to
God's will, and acceptance of the way things are. Thus, Weber concludes that
the simple
idea of the calling in Lutheranism is at best of limited importance to his
study. This does
not mean that Lutheranism had no practical significance for the development of
the
capitalistic spirit. Rather, it means that this development cannot be directly
derived from Luther's
attitude toward worldly activity. We should then look to a branch of
Protestantism that
has a clearer connection--Calvinism.
Thus, Weber makes his starting point the investigation of the relationship
between the
spirit of capitalism and the ascetic ethic of the Calvinists and other
Puritans. The
capitalistic spirit was not the goal of these religious reformers; their
cultural impact was
unforeseen and maybe undesired. The following study will hopefully contribute
to the
understanding of how ideas become effective forces in history.
Weber then adds a few remarks to avoid any confusion about his study. He is not
trying
to evaluate the ideas of the Reformation in either social or religious worth.
He is
only trying to understand how certain characteristics of modern culture can be
traced to
the Reformation. We shouldn't try to see the Reformation as a historically
necessary
result of economic factors. Many historical and political circumstances, fully
independent of economic law, had to occur in order for the Churches to even be
able to
survive. However, we should also not be so foolish as to argue that the spirit
of
capitalism could only have occurred as the result of particular effects of the
Reformation,
and that capitalism is therefore a result of the Reformation. Weber's goals are
more
modest. He wants to understand whether and to what degree religious forces have
helped
form and expand the spirit of capitalism, and what aspects of our culture can be
traced to
them. He will examine when and where there are correlations between religious
beliefs
and practical ethics, and clarify how religious movements have influenced
material
culture's development. Only when this has been determined can we try to
estimate the
degree to which the historical development of modern culture can be attributed
to those
religious forces, and to what extent to other forces.
Commentary
This chapter is the final stage of Weber's presentation of the "problem" of the
potential
connection between the Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism. It is
illustrative of
Weber's method that presenting the problem takes him three chapters of writing.
Once
again, in this chapter Weber spends significant time telling us what he will
not be
studying, and how limited his examination really is. Consider the significance
of this
approach, both as a methodological and rhetorical tool. Does such caution add
to or detract
from his writing?
Weber also introduces the idea of a "calling" to worldly activity. This will be
an important
concept when Weber develops his theory in later chapters. Notice first that
Weber does
not think that belief in a calling is sufficient to explain the spirit of
capitalism. A calling
can be consistent with traditionalism, since it can imply that a person should
accept his
role in life and not strive for more. However, it could also potentially
support a more
capitalistic ethic. According to Weber, before the Reformation, people did not
see their "worldly" activities (such as their occupations and businesses) as
being in service to God.
Rather, worldly activities were perceived more like necessary evils. The
monastic lifestyle, where people
removed themselves from the world in order to contemplate God, was glorified.
The
Reformation rejected this attitude. It was seen as wrong to remove yourself
from the
world; serving God meant participating in worldly activities, because this was
part of
God's purpose for each individual. Thus, labor and business became part of
one's duty to God.
According to Weber, with the right theological developments, this worldliness
could be
transformed into a belief in the duty to prosper. This connection will be made
in the next
two chapters. Once again, some have questioned Weber's
empirical claims. It has been argued that the concept of the calling was not as
new as
Weber contends, and that it was already a presence in Catholic scriptural
interpretation.
Consider, as you read the next two chapters, the degree to which this argument
could
affect Weber's conclusions.
