Prosperity and Religion (A), (B), (1)

This chapter discusses the prosperity–religion link and reviews some prominent empirical studies refuting and confirming Weber’s thesis and balancing the evidence gathered. It also emphasises the importance of seriously considering the institutional (and hegemonic) influence of religion in addition to the cultural influence (of religious adherents). The historical institutional influence of religion has been the crucial factor with regard to prosperity/transparency (more than the current proportion of adherents).The relationships of prosperity vis-à-vis religion as a predictor (independent) variable (e.g. Weber) or as a criterion (dependent) variable (e.g. Marx) reinforce each other and produced a vast body of theories and empirical studies. In the first causal arrow, Weber’s explanations and findings in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism has attracted much criticism over the last century. The debate remains polarised.The second causal arrow (religion as a dependent variable vis-à-vis prosperity) resulted in, among others, secularisation theories focusing on either the supply or demand-side of religion. The theory of existential security is an influential model that empirically focuses on the variations of the demand-side and revises the secularisation theory.

Age Norms and the Spirit of Capitalism

Adulthood is often associated with hard work, in contrast to childhood and later life, which are associated with play, education, and leisure. Yet the work-fixated sense of adulthood is about more than just age norms. Like any such ethos, it is situated in socioeconomic history. Workers are forced to work hard, the work ethic framing their exploitation within an aura of moral righteousness. According to Weber the normative weight commonly associated with ‘hard work’ derives from the advent of Protestantism in the late middle ages. Weber says that this new worldview birthed the ‘spirit of capitalism,’ and set the stage for the modern world to take shape. In the seventeenth century—hence roughly coinciding with mercantilism and the Reformation—was the invention of the modern concept of childhood, i.e. the radical division of childhood from adulthood. This period also inaugurated the European Enlightenment, where reason was elevated as a supremely honorable aspect of humanity, in many ways as a new source of this-worldly pseudo-salvation. ‘Adulthood’ was infused with these values—the ideal [male] adult is rational, responsible, hard-working, self-sufficient, and financially secure. It was adulthood, more than and in contrast to other times of life (e.g., childhood and later life), that absorbed and normalized the new economic and cultural trends. The moral elevation of hard work, combined with the greater demarcation of adulthood in contrast to childhood and later life, set up children and older adults to take on a status of moral inferiority due to their exclusion from the working world.

MAX WEBER ON THE “SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM”. ECONOMIC GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE ANTECHAMBER OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION

<p align="center"><strong>ABSTRACT</strong><strong></strong></p><p>The paper has a fresh look at the work of Weber. The emphasis is on his “Protestant Ethic and the ‘Spirit’ of Capitalism”, which is frequently misrepresented. It is argued that Weber’s focus of attention is the historical importance of Protestant ideas to the extent to which they shape human action; the treatise does not seek to explain capitalism since its beginnings, but concentrates exclusively on “modern capitalism”; it deals with economic growth and development in the antechamber of the Industrial Revolution; it concerns essentially what Marx had called the production of “absolute” as opposed to relative surplus value. Weber’s argument is rephrased with the help of economic theory and its limitations are pointed out. </p><p align="center"> </p><p align="center">MAX WEBER SOBRE EL “ESPÍRITU DEL CAPITALISMO”</p><p align="center">CRECIMIENTO ECONÓMICO Y DESARROLLO EN LA ANTESALA DE LA REVOLUCIÓN INDUSTRIAL</p><p align="center"><strong>RESUMEN</strong></p><p>El artículo presenta un punto de vista nuevo sobre la obra de Max Weber. El énfasis está puesto en su “Ética Protestante y el ‘Espíritu’ del Capitalismo”, obra con frecuencia interpretada mal. La atención de Weber está en la importancia histórica de las ideas protestantes en cuanto perfilan la acción humana; no pretende explicar el capitalismo desde su origen, sino que se concentra sólo en el “capitalismo moderno”; trata del crecimiento y el desarrollo económico en la antesala de la Revolución Industrial; esencialmente de lo que Marx llamó producción de plusvalía “absoluta” por oposición a la relativa. Su argumento es reformulado aquí con la ayuda de la teoría económica y se hacen notar sus limitaciones.</p>

The trajectory of linked data in late capitalism

PurposeThe aim of this article is to analyze the trajectory of library linked data in light of the ideological machinations of late capitalism. This is accomplished in order to understand how and why its development currently occupies a place of contradiction and provide avenues for examining how this tension can be resolved.Design/methodology/approachOur approach relies on the work of Boltanski and Chiapello's “new spirit of capitalism” to understand the rise of the network and situate linked data within that history by examining various technologies, projects and agents involved in its development. We use this history to outline the growth of contradictory tensions within linked data necessitated by capitalistic growth.FindingsLibrary linked data has found itself in a contradictory position because of the nature of late capitalist expansion, but this development has been facilitated largely by hegemonic agents within libraries and related institutions. We suggest that a counter-hegemonic lens be applied to envisioning linked data's future and its infrastructures.Originality/valueTo our knowledge this article represents one of the first attempts to provide a critique of late capitalist designs on linked data with a particular emphasis on hegemonic control over library technology and infrastructures.

THE FORMATION OF A “SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM” IN UPPER GERMANY: LEONHARD FRONSPERGER’S “ON THE PRAISE OF SELF-INTEREST”

In 1564, Leonhard Fronsperger, a military expert and citizen of the Free Imperial City of Ulm in Upper Germany, publishes the booklet “On the Praise of Self-Interest” (“Von dem Lob deß Eigen Nutzen”). Using the form of a satirical poem, he demonstrates how the individual pursuit of self-interest can lead to the common good. Writing long before Bernard Mandeville and Adam Smith, Fronsperger presents a thorough analysis of all kinds of self-interested social, political, and economic relations. His praise of self-interest demonstrates how, over the sixteenth century, the interplay of economic success (in particular in major trading cities), a more realistic conception of human behavior, and some aspects of humanism and the Reformation led to a new understanding of the origins of economic dynamics. This becomes the basis for what Max Weber ([1904–05] 2009) would later term “the spirit of capitalism.”

Etos Kerja Kristen dan Budaya Mapalus sebagai Perberdayaan Ekonomi Gereja di Minahasa

This study aims to understand and provide solutions to poverty problems in the Minahasa area, especially the Protestant church in Minahasa. The problem that appears is the lack of the church in carrying out economic empowerment. On the other hand, the Mapalus culture which is the philosophy of the Minahasa people has begun to be displaced by the times. This makes researchers interested in researching Christian Work Ethics and Mapalus culture as economic empowerment for the church in Minahasa. By using sociological and economic studies, the researcher uses classic theory from Max Weber about The Protestant Ethic and Spirit of Capitalism, and Adam Smith about The Wealth of Nations. To address and examine this problem, this study uses qualitative research, using literature study. Data were collected through literature, references, and articles related to the Protestant work ethic, the Minahasa work ethic, and the spirit of capitalism. Capitalism that is meant by researchers is positive capitalism, where capitalism is running straight with the work ethic of Christians. On the other hand, Minahasa, as a research locus, has a work ethic called Mapalus. Although there are differences between the two work ethics, both can enrich the understanding and morals of church members in Minahasa in carrying out economic empowerment.

Spiritualitas Dalam Akuntansi Sang Pembebas Dari Kuasa Kapitalisme

The objectives of the research are to criticize the modern accounting is entrenched under the auspices of capitalism, especially accounting in Indonesia, and to an alternative idea for a better one. Is done as there as a strength that accounting for capitalism has reached a deadlock in answering current problems. Conventional accounting as a product of the modern era which has the spirit of capitalism is always oriented towards maximizing profit and rationality of recording. The impact of this understanding makes accounting a means of legitimating certain parties to seek maximum profit, without paying attention to other artificial interests. Through a rasionalis spiritualist approach, the research suggests the internalization of "spirituality" which refers to Islamic spirituality. Under the internalization of Islamic spirituality, accounting can be separated from the domination of capitalism.