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Protestant work ethic
The Protestant work ethic,[1] also known as the Calvinist work ethic[2] or the Puritan work ethic,[3] is a work ethic concept in sociology, economics, and history. It emphasizes that a person's subscription to the values espoused by the Protestant faith, particularly Calvinism, result in diligence, discipline, and frugality.[4]
The phrase was initially coined in 1905 by sociologist Max Weber in his book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.[5] Weber asserted that Protestant ethics and values, along with the Calvinist doctrines of asceticism and predestination, enabled the rise and spread of capitalism.[6] Just as priests and caring professionals are deemed to have a vocation (or "calling" from God) for their work, according to the Protestant work ethic the "lowly" workman also has a noble vocation which he can fulfill through dedication to his work.
Weber's book is one of the most influential and cited in sociology, although the thesis presented has been controversial since its release. In opposition to Weber, historians such as Fernand Braudel and Hugh Trevor-Roper assert that the Protestant work ethic did not create capitalism and that capitalism developed in pre-Reformation Catholic communities. Historian Laurence R. Iannaccone has written that "the most noteworthy feature of the Protestant Ethic thesis is its absence of empirical support."[7]
The concept is often credited with helping to define the self-view of societies of Northern, Central and Northwestern Europe as well as the United States.[8][9]
- ^ Gini, Al (2018). "Protestant Work Ethic". The SAGE Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society: 2791–2793. doi:10.4135/9781483381503. ISBN 9781483381527.
- ^ The Idea of Work in Europe from Antiquity to Modern Times by Catharina Lis
- ^ Ryken, Leland (2010). Worldly Saints: The Puritans As They Really Were. Harper Collins. pp. 51–. ISBN 978-0-310-87428-7.
- ^ "Protestant Ethic". Believe: Religious Information Source. Archived from the original on 2017-08-19. Retrieved 2016-02-10.
- ^ Weber, Max (2003) [First published 1905]. The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism. Translated by Parsons, Talcott. New York: Dover. ISBN 9780486122373.
- ^ "Weber, Calvinism and the Spirit of Modern…". tutor2u. March 22, 2020.
- ^ Iannaccone, Laurence R. (1998). "Introduction to the Economics of Religion". Journal of Economic Literature. 36 (3): 1465–1495. ISSN 0022-0515. JSTOR 2564806.
- ^ Ward, Charles (September 1, 2007). "Protestant work ethic that took root in faith is now ingrained in our culture". Houston Chronicle.
- ^ Luzer, Daniel (September 4, 2013). "The Protestant Work Ethic is Real". Pacific Standard.
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