The protestant ethic and the American market economy

Abstract

Assuming a radicalized Weberian position religious beliefs and their structuring dogmas are construed as independent variables. Within that frame Calvinism (Puritanism) is ‘ideal‐typically’ compared with Catholicism, sketchily also with Lutheranism and Marxism. The dependent variables are productivity, propensity to save and invest, a profit‐making and calculating orientation, the perceived legitimacy of manipulating consumer choices. Though there are references to other national cultures the principal target is the American economy; its meteoric rise to wealth and economic predominance. Applying Weber's hypothesis, as to the invariable bureaucratization of charismatic systems In the decreasing rate of economic progress of the American and other calvinistically influenced economies some macro‐ and micro problems are singled out for further analysis.