Reformations & the Protestant Work Ethic (1500s -1700s)
A note on Reformations Renaissance: Intellectual Protestant: Spiritual & Individualism English: Political
The Renaissance:(1490s – 1700s) Birth of Humanism Ability of the human mind Time of re-thinking Mysticism to rationalism Universities emerge Liberalism Dissent Threat to Roman Catholisism Printing Press
The Renaissance: (1490s – 1700s) Intellectual Reformation Rediscovery of Greek Classics Aristotle ( BCE) Test for knowledge logic Earth Sciences Classification Dissection
The Renaissance: Birth of Science Radical Idea: Search for answers in nature (laws) Nature made perfect by “Man” [sic] Legitimizes secular authority Medical advances Hands on experiments Increased population
The Renaissance: Birth of Science Radical Idea: Search for answers in nature (laws) Nature made perfect by “Man” [sic] Legitimizes secular authority Medical advances Hands on experiments Increased population
Renaissance & Reason The Prince – Machiavelli (1513) Reason becomes understood in terms of calculation* Virtue becomes the deeds men must do.. “rich treasury & poor citizens”
Gallileo ( ) Challenged Aristotle's essence of objects & world Trial 1633 Scholasticism Aquinas work... Scholastic philosophy was written by and for the clergy who dominated European universities
The Renaissance: Birth of Science Radical Idea: Search for answers in nature (laws) Nature made perfect by “Man” [sic] Legitimizes secular authority Medical advances Hands on experiments Increased population
Protestant Reformation Martin Luther (1483 – 1546) Holy Roman Empire Germany Coal mining community Late Industrialization Professor of Theology Monk Legal Scholar
The Protestant Reformation 1517 – The 95 Theses Castle Church, Wittenberg Protestant Reformation Affirmed secular authority Questions wealth of church vs. poor
English Reformation Protestant Work Ethic: Abstinence Rewards in afterlife (salvation) Work hard, save, moderate consumption, belief Success indicates “Gods blessing”
Weber: Critique of Work Ethic Individualism w/emphasis on labor and success benefits capitalism Ideal laborers Middle Class Poverty = individual flaw state not responsible