‘Protestant ethic’ still sways dreams of wealth
Back in 1905, Max Weber's landmark treatise, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, argued that a Calvinist belief in God's plan for the saved was crucial to the rise of capitalism because it inspired individuals to work hard and earn money as a sign of divine blessing on their lives.
More than a century later, new research shows that whatever its merits, the Protestant ethic is thriving among American believers.
That's especially true among the evangelicals who are driving today's economic conservatism, and the idea goes a long way toward explaining the political disputes that are dividing the country and shaping the presidential campaign.
