Return to Answer

I think this discussion must involve Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.

Weber argued that Protestantism induces a mindset in its followers which aligns well with and promotes secular endeavors. The protestant god is a bookkeeper: There is an eternal record continuously updated with your good and bad deeds, and when you die a balance (!) will be drawn. Being industrious and frugal is good for your balance. Being wasteful and lazy is bad. How well your record is doing can be deduced from how well you are doing. ("I must be doing something right, because I'm rich/president/C.E.O. and you are not.")

Oppose this with the catholic god which can give absolution when necessary and is altogether more friendly towards the good life.

There has been positive and negative criticism since its publication; counter-examples which come immediately to mind are that catholic France is economically very comparable to partly protestant Germany, and that the southern, catholic parts of Germany are now more prosperous than the northern, protestant parts.

On the other hand opposing North and South Europe or North and South America as Europe's spitting image seems to support the cliché of an industrious northern mindset and a less disciplined southern mindset.¹ That religion plays a role in this distinction was Weber's theory.

_{¹To avoid misunderstandings let me assure you that I feel personally closer to the latter.}

I think this discussion must involve Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.

Weber argued that Protestantism induces a mindset in its followers which aligns well with and promotes secular endeavors. The protestant god is a bookkeeper: There is an eternal record continuously updated with your good and bad deeds, and when you die a balance (!) will be drawn. Being industrious and frugal is good for your balance. Being wasteful and lazy is bad. How well your record is doing can be deduced from how well you are doing. ("I must be doing something right, because I'm rich/president/C.E.O. and you are not.")

Oppose this with the catholic god which can give absolution when necessary and is altogether more friendly towards the good life.

There has been positive and negative criticism since its publication; counter-examples which come immediately to mind are that catholic France is economically very comparable to partly protestant Germany, and that the southern, catholic parts of Germany are now more prosperous than the northern, protestant parts.

On the other hand opposing North and South Europe or North and South America as Europe's spitting image seems to support the cliché of an industrious northern mindset and a less disciplined southern mindset.¹ Weber's theory was that the alignment with religious borders is no coincidence.

_{¹To avoid misunderstandings let me assure you that I feel personally closer to the latter.}

I think this discussion must involve Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.

Weber argued that Protestantism induces a mindset in its followers which aligns well with and promotes secular endeavors. The protestant god is a bookkeeper: There is an eternal record continuously updated with your good and bad deeds, and when you die a balance (!) will be drawn. Being industrious and frugal is good for your balance. Being wasteful and lazy is bad. How well your record is doing can be deduced by how well you are doing.

Oppose this with the catholic god which can give absolution when necessary and is altogether more friendly towards the good life.

There has been positive and negative criticism since its publication; counter-examples which come immediately to mind are that catholic France is economically very comparable to partly protestant Germany, and that the southern, catholic parts of Germany are now more prosperous than the northern, protestant parts.

On the other hand opposing North and South Europe or North and South America as Europe's spitting image seems to support the cliché of an industrious northern mindset and a less disciplined southern mindset.¹ That religion plays a role in this distinction was Weber's theory.

_{¹To avoid misunderstandings let me assure you that I feel personally closer to the latter.}

I think this discussion must involve Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.

Weber argued that Protestantism induces a mindset in its followers which aligns well with and promotes secular endeavors. The protestant god is a bookkeeper: There is an eternal record continuously updated with your good and bad deeds, and when you die a balance (!) will be drawn. Being industrious and frugal is good for your balance. Being wasteful and lazy is bad. How well your record is doing can be deduced from how well you are doing. ("I must be doing something right, because I'm rich/president/C.E.O. and you are not.")

Oppose this with the catholic god which can give absolution when necessary and is altogether more friendly towards the good life.

There has been positive and negative criticism since its publication; counter-examples which come immediately to mind are that catholic France is economically very comparable to partly protestant Germany, and that the southern, catholic parts of Germany are now more prosperous than the northern, protestant parts.

On the other hand opposing North and South Europe or North and South America as Europe's spitting image seems to support the cliché of an industrious northern mindset and a less disciplined southern mindset.¹ That religion plays a role in this distinction was Weber's theory.

_{¹To avoid misunderstandings let me assure you that I feel personally closer to the latter.}

I think this discussion must involve Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.

Weber argued that Protestantism induces a mindset in its followers which aligns well with and promotes secular endeavors. The protestant god is a bookkeeper: There is an eternal record continuously updated with your good and bad deeds, and when you die a balance (!) will be drawn. Being industrious and frugal is good for your balance. Being wasteful and lazy is bad. How well your record is doing can be deduced by ho well you are doing.

Oppose this with the catholic god which can give absolution when necessary and is altogether more friendly towards the good life.

There has been positive and negative criticism since its publication; counter-examples which come immediately to mind are that catholic France is economically very comparable to partly protestant Germany, and that the southern, catholic parts of Germany are now more prosperous than the northern, protestant parts.

On the other hand opposing North and South Europe or North and South America as Europe's spitting image seems to support the cliché of an industrious northern mindset and a less disciplined southern mindset.¹ That religion plays a role in this distinction was Weber's theory.

_{¹To avoid misunderstandings let me assure you that I feel personally closer to the latter.}

I think this discussion must involve Max Weber's The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.

Weber argued that Protestantism induces a mindset in its followers which aligns well with and promotes secular endeavors. The protestant god is a bookkeeper: There is an eternal record continuously updated with your good and bad deeds, and when you die a balance (!) will be drawn. Being industrious and frugal is good for your balance. Being wasteful and lazy is bad. How well your record is doing can be deduced by how well you are doing.

Oppose this with the catholic god which can give absolution when necessary and is altogether more friendly towards the good life.

There has been positive and negative criticism since its publication; counter-examples which come immediately to mind are that catholic France is economically very comparable to partly protestant Germany, and that the southern, catholic parts of Germany are now more prosperous than the northern, protestant parts.

On the other hand opposing North and South Europe or North and South America as Europe's spitting image seems to support the cliché of an industrious northern mindset and a less disciplined southern mindset.¹ That religion plays a role in this distinction was Weber's theory.

_{¹To avoid misunderstandings let me assure you that I feel personally closer to the latter.}