max weber - week 5

weber vs marx about culture and social world

completely different

how are social world and culture related

influence of culture creates the social world

weber appreciates the importance of ____ but he believes that ideas can…

importance of material life

ideas can bring about social change

ideas/culture can influence

how the economy is shaped

what is the analogy for culture

culture is like a switchman on the train tracks. Ideas can direct which path the material train takes

culture shapes

the social world

what is the driving force for change

religion

religion is a ___ force capable of…

an autonomous force

capable of shaping society

religion meets our need for

theodicy and soteriology

theodicy

the vindication of divine goodness and providence in view of the existence of evil

why does evil exist in a world created by a perfect god

soteriology

the doctrine of salvation

how god saves people

weber observed that specific ____ religious values, particularly those found in ____, played a crucial role in the development of ________

protestant

calvinism

modern capitalism

where did weber see the notion of calling

martin luther

who is martin luther

14-1500s, german reformer

what were luther’s ideas on labor

worldly labor is a form of divine service

prior to luther, waht was considered serving god

religious work

luther suggests

we can serve god in any kind of work

god calls all ppl to

serve hi in their work

what does weber think luther’s ideas do

this doctrine motivated ppl to work hard in serving god

what is predestination and who started the idea

god has already decided on everyone’s place in the afterlife, we cannot change out destiny

by john calvin, 15002, french reformer

how does predestination affect work ethic

creates anxiety, seeking assurance in worldly success, leading ppl to work hard, save, and reinvest savings

calvinism’s avoidance of ___ and emphasis on ____ helped generate _______ laying the groundwork for _____

luxury

productivity

capital accumulation

capitalism

what did weber think protestantism did

it did not directly cause capitalism but its values fostered the spirit of capitalism - a rational, disciplined work ethic that prioritized efficiency and investment over traditional wealth accumulation

3 values of protestantism in relation to capitalism

profit seeking

rational calculation

asceticism

profit seeking

work incessantly for profits, beyond needs

rational calculation

time is money which is a motivation for work

asceticism

profits for profits sake, not enjoyment

weber thought that culture

shapes how ppl pursue material interests

protestants had material interests like ____ and ideal interests like ____

earning a living

salvation

salvation shaped how protestants pursued

material interests (capitalism)

disenchantment

decline of magical and supernatural explanations in favor of rational and bureaucratic systems

as societies modernize, religious explanations

lose their grip, replaced by scientific reasoning and bureaucratic administration

bureaucratization

modern institutions, including governments and corporations, increasingly rely on rational-legal authority rather than tradition or charisma

iron cage

the rational structures that bring efficiency and predictability also create an impersonal, rigid system that limits individual freedome

what does the iron cage cause

ppl become trapped in bureaucratic routines, reducing creativity and spontaneity