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What are the two ways religion can be seen as a conservative force of change
It is traditional and can lead to traditional customs, institutions and moral views can be upheld
It also functions to conserve/preserve things as they are, stablising society
What are two examples of religions acting as conservative forces
Catholic church: ban of abortion and contraceptives
Hinduism: Male domestic authority + arranged marriage
What group of sociologists believe religion is a positive conservative force and why
Functionalists
It functions to maintain social solidarity
What group of sociologists believe religion is a negative conservative force and why
Marxist and Feminists
Religion is an ideology that exists to uphold harmful societal structures (capitalism and the patriarchy)
What did Weber believe Calvinism assisted in
The development of modern capitalism in Northern Europe
What were Calvinists
A branch of reformed protestantism, founded by John Calvin
What was Webers definition of the spirt of capitalism?
It is a society based on the systemic pursuit of profit for profits sake, instead of spending the money on products
What are the 4 beliefs that Calvinists had the helped the development of modern capitalism
Predestination, Asceticism, Vocational working and Divine Transcendence
Define Calvinist belief of predestination
Regardless of how well/poorly you behave in life, God has already determined where you are going when you die.
Nothing can change it
Define Calvinist belief of divine transcendence
God is far beyond human understanding so nobody can understand his will
The made Calvinists face a ‘salvation panic’, as they didn’t know if they had been saved
Define Calvinist belief of vocational working
The idea that work is a calling from God, and working a challenging occupation is a religious duty
Define Calvinist belief of asceticism
You need to devote yourself to God through living a lifestyle of abstaining and self discipline
What were the consequences of Calvinist values
Had a psychological function as it comforted Calvinists from their salvation panic
Enabled the accumulation of mass wealth, as they did not spend but reinvest.
Did weber see calvanism as the cause of modern day capitalism
No, he saw it as one of its causes
What two religions are similar yet different Calvinism, stopping capitalism from developing?
Hinduism and Confucianism
What similarities did Hinduism and Calvinism have and Calvinism and Confucianism have
H + C are both ascetic religions, believing that you needed to renounce the material world
C + C are both ‘this wordly religions’
What differences do Hinduism and Calvinism have and Calvinism and Confucianism have
H + C: Hindus focused on spiritual world as opposed to vocational, meaning they focused on spirituality
C + C: Confucianism was not ascetic, they could indulge in luxuries
How did Kautsky criticise Weber
He believed that Capitalism preceded Calvinism
How did Tawney criticse Weber
Saw that technological growth is what enabled capitalism to come into being. The bourgeoisie used Calvinism to legitimise their growing profit
Did every Calvinist country develop into capitalism
No, Scotland didn’t
Were Calvinists excluded from office and many other professions, leading them to business
Yes, business is what gave them money, not Calvinism
Note 
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