STHM 1113 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Protestant Work Ethic, John Calvin, Antireligion
3 May 2018
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• Medieval Europe
◦ 5th-15th centuries aka Middle Ages
◦ Fall of Rome leads to the dark ages in Europe
▪ Humanity isn’t being advanced
◦ Feudalism
▪ Lords: Own the land
▪ Serfs: Works the land
◦ Leisure based strictly around war
▪ Hunting and sport
◦ People did not live very long
• A Split in the Church
◦ Catholic Church focuses on afterlife
▪ Concept of deprivation
▪ Fun things —> Corrupt humanity
◦ Protestant Reformation
▪ Focus on work in this world
◦ Martin Luther
▪ God calls you to work on commerce and agriculture
◦ John Calvin
▪ Divinity achieved through obedience, responsibility, and work
◦ New focus on money
• Max Weber, Capitalism, and the Work Ethic
◦ Development of Capitalism tied to Protestant work ethic
▪ Most developed in geographical areas where Protestantism is strongest
◦ Pre-elected at birth for Heaven, but no one knows if they are elected
◦ For reasssurement, one must live a godly life
▪ Productive life- no waste, frivolity
◦ No self-indulging activity- constant work on commerce and reinvestment
▪ Essential ingredients for capitalism
• Humanism and the Renaissance
◦ Renaissance begins in 14th century in Italy
▪ Not anti-religion
◦ Humanism- Belief in the ability of human to create to show their ability
◦ Leisure found in arts, science, plays, literature, drinking taverns
▪ Shakespeare
◦ Stressed as essential to being human
• Puritans in England
◦ 1640, Puritans takeover in England
▪ Lose control in 1660
◦ English monarchy institutes protected forms of leisure
▪ Puritans against almost any forms of leisure
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