Just Curious

Max Weber on Quakerism

I've just finished reading Part II of Max Weber's "Protestant Ethic and the 'Spirit' of Capitalism." Very illuminating read. In Ch.1 of Part II, Weber specifically wrote how dogmas of 4 major Protestant sects influence the worldview of their adherents and how this in turn affect them in their rational shaping of their lives. The 4 sects are: Calvinism (Reformed and Presbyterianism), Pietism (Calvinist and German Lutheran Pietists), Methodism & the "Baptist Movement." The Quaker is described as someone who carries the Baptist convictions to their logical conclusions, which could be extreme to many. The four sects contribute to different aspects of the character of the ideal type "Modern Capitalist Entrepreneur," and among the many influences Quakers had on modern capitalism of course is the notion of business ethics.

Funny. Before East Coast Quaker Meetings became little liberal bastions (well not all, or even most, of them, but sometimes you just feel the toxic air of modern "liberalism"), Quakers had always been fiercely classically-liberal (much like their brethren the "Levellers" of 17th century England), and had given birth to many a great capitalist. The Lippincotts, Cadburys, Barclays, Frys, Whartons were only a few among the many industrious men and women. It's a little less complicated in the Midwest, where most Quakers are agrarian landowners, whose ethical system somewhat became "Methodized" or "Wesleyanized" in the 1870s.

I'll probably write a book review in a few days. This is required reading for a course ("Modern Political Theory") anyways.

posted by James Chang @ 11:30 PM