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Franklin’s religion. Protestant ancestors, hiding English Bible.

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Presentation on theme: "Franklin’s religion. Protestant ancestors, hiding English Bible."— Presentation transcript:

1 Franklin’s religion

2 Protestant ancestors, hiding English Bible

3 Franklin’s religion Protestant ancestors, hiding English Bible Puritan New England

4 Franklin’s religion Protestant ancestors, hiding English Bible Puritan New England Presbyterian

5 The nun living upstairs from Franklin she had given all her estate to charitable uses, reserving only twelve pounds a year to live on, and out of this sum she still gave a great deal in charity, living herself on watergruel only, and using no fire but to boil it. (48)

6 The nun living upstairs from Franklin She look'd pale, but was never sick; and I give it as another instance on how small an income life and health may be supported. (49)

7 Franklin’s religion Protestant ancestors, hiding English Bible Puritan New England Presbyterian Praises monastic life of woman living in garret BUT

8 Franklin’s religion Protestant ancestors, hiding English Bible Puritan New England Presbyterian Praises monastic life of woman living in garret BUT Doubts Revelation

9 Franklin’s doubts But I was scarce fifteen, when, after doubting by turns of several points, as I found them disputed in the different books I read, I began to doubt of Revelation itself. (57)

10 Franklin’s doubts But I was scarce fifteen, when, after doubting by turns of several points, as I found them disputed in the different books I read, I began to doubt of Revelation itself. (57)

11 Franklin’s doubts Some books against Deism fell into my hands; they were said to be the substance of sermons preached at Boyle's Lectures. It happened that they wrought an effect on me quite contrary to what was intended by them; for the arguments of the Deists, which were quoted to be refuted, appeared to me much stronger than the refutations; in short, I soon became a thorough Deist. (57)

12 Franklin’s religion Protestant ancestors, hiding English Bible Puritan New England Praises monastic life of woman living in garret BUT Doubts Revelation Founds Deist sect

13 Franklin’s religion Protestant ancestors, hiding English Bible Puritan New England Praises quasi-monastic life of nun living in garret BUT Doubts Revelation Founds Deist sect. Deism: abstract creator god (deus), removed from specific confessions and forms of organized religion

14 Franklin’s ”essentials of every known religion” That there is one God, who made all things. That he governs the world by his providence. That he ought to be worshiped by adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving. But that the most acceptable service of God is doing good to man. That the soul is immortal. And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice either here or hereafter."

15 Franklin’s ”essentials of every known religion” That there is one God, who made all things. That he governs the world by his providence. That he ought to be worshiped by adoration, prayer, and thanksgiving. But that the most acceptable service of God is doing good to man. That the soul is immortal. And that God will certainly reward virtue and punish vice either here or hereafter."

16 Franklin’s religion Only concerned with worldly success, not with saving his soul. Wealth = Virtue.

17 Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

18 Study of world religions, incl.

19 Max Weber (1862 – 1920) Study of world religions, incl. Confucianism and Taoism (China)

20 Max Weber (1862 – 1920) Study of world religions, incl. Confucianism and Taoism (China) Buddhism and Hinduism (India)

21 Max Weber (1862 – 1920) Study of world religions, incl. Confucianism and Taoism (China) Buddhism and Hinduism (India) Ancient Judaism

22 Max Weber (1862 – 1920) Study of world religions, incl. Confucianism and Taoism (China) Buddhism and Hinduism (India) Ancient Judaism Christianity

23 Max Weber (1862 – 1920) Capitalism exists everywhere

24 Max Weber (1862 – 1920) Capitalism exists everywhere Greed

25 Max Weber (1862 – 1920) Capitalism exists everywhere Greed (self-interest) Capitalist adventurers (irrational speculation)

26 Max Weber (1862 – 1920) Capitalism exists everywhere Greed (self-interest) Capitalist adventurers (irrational speculation) War expenditures

27 Max Weber (1862 – 1920) Capitalism exists everywhere BUT

28 Max Weber (1862 – 1920) Capitalism exists everywhere BUT It becomes a dominant system in Christian countries

29 Max Weber (1862 – 1920) Capitalism exists everywhere BUT It becomes a dominant system in Christian countries AND It thrives in Protestant countries as well as Protestant areas of multi-confessional countries more than in Catholic ones

30 Spirit of Capitalism Bourgeois capitalism:

31 Spirit of Capitalism Bourgeois capitalism: Peaceful organization of profit (containment of raw greed or desire for profit) Rule of law

32 Spirit of Capitalism Bourgeois capitalism: Peaceful organization of profit (containment of raw greed or desire for profit) Rule of law Rationalization of capitalism (against irrational speculation)

33 WHY?

34 Religious roots of capitalism

35 WHY? Religious roots of capitalism HOW?

36 WHY? Religious roots of capitalism HOW? Religion creates the conditions for capitalism

37 Spirit of Capitalism Protestantism abolishes monasteries

38 Spirit of Capitalism Protestantism abolishes monasteries, but monasticism does not disappear. It is dispersed.

39 Spirit of Capitalism Protestantism abolishes monasteries, but monasticism does not disappear. It is dispersed. “Now every Christian had to be a monk all his life” (121) “asceticism was carried out of monastic cells into everyday life and began to dominate worldly morality, it did its part in building the tremendous cosmos of the modern economic order" (181)

40 Asceticism

41 askesis (Greek): practice; exercise;

42 Asceticism askesis (Greek): practice; exercise; Self-denial; monastic practice.

43 Spirit of Capitalism Protestantism abolishes monasteries, but it does not disappear. It is dispersed. “Now every Christian had to be a monk all his life” (121) “asceticism was carried out of monastic cells into everyday life and began to dominate worldly morality, it did its part in building the tremendous cosmos of the modern economic order"

44 What is worldly asceticism? Benjamin Franklin: frugality and industry

45 The nun living upstairs from Franklin she had given all her estate to charitable uses, reserving only twelve pounds a year to live on, and out of this sum she still gave a great deal in charity, living herself on watergruel only, and using no fire but to boil it. (48)

46 The nun living upstairs from Franklin She look'd pale, but was never sick; and I give it as another instance on how small an income life and health may be supported. (49)

47 What is worldly asceticism? Benjamin Franklin: frugality and industry This mean: Limits on consumption. Cradle of modern economic man.

48 What is worldly asceticism? Benjamin Franklin: frugality and industry This mean: Limits on consumption. Cradle of modern economic man. Work as ascetic practice, not a means to an end.

49 What is worldly asceticism? Benjamin Franklin: frugality and industry This mean: Limits on consumption. Cradle of modern economic man. Work as ascetic practice, not a means to an end. Work as calling (vocation).

50 What is worldly asceticism? Benjamin Franklin: frugality and industry This mean: Limits on consumption. Cradle of modern economic man. Work as ascetic practice, not means to an end. Work as calling (vocation). Fixed calling (Luther) justification for division of labor.

51 Spirit of Capitalism Ascetic importance of a fixed calling provided an ethical justification of the modern specialized division of labor.

52 Historical argument Puritans created a culture of worldly asceticism that preceded capitalism but that happened to be perfect for capitalism, so capitalism seized it, used it, made it its own. This new capitalist order, however, worked against strict Puritan religiosity and led to the erosion of Puritan values. By then triumphant capitalism no longer needed worldly asceticism to thrive.

53 Spirit of Capitalism/Modernity Rationalization

54 Spirit of Capitalism/Modernity Rationalization Double entry book keeping

55 Spirit of Capitalism/Modernity Rationalization Double entry book keeping Economic calculation

56 Spirit of Capitalism/Modernity Rationalization Double entry book keeping Economic calculation Mathematics

57 Spirit of Capitalism/Modernity Rationalization Double entry book keeping Economic calculation Mathematics Disenchantment Monotheism, critique of miracles

58 Spirit of Capitalism/Modernity Rationalization Double entry book keeping Economic calculation Mathematics Disenchantment Monotheism, critique of miracles System of ethics (Franklin’s method)

59 Cultural explanation The following study may thus perhaps in a modest way form a contribution to the understanding of the manner in which ideas become effective forces in history. (90)

60 Cultural explanation “On the contrary, we only wish to ascertain whether and to what extent religious forces have taken part in the qualitative formation and the quantitative expansion of that spirit over the world. Furthermore, what concrete aspects of our capitalistic culture can be traced to them” (91)

61 Cultural explanation “On the contrary, we only wish to ascertain whether and to what extent religious forces have taken part in the qualitative formation and the quantitative expansion of that spirit over the world. Furthermore, what concrete aspects of our capitalistic culture can be traced to them” (91)

62 Cultural explanation Protestantism prepared the ground for capitalism without intending to do so. This explains why capitalism emerged fully in Protestant countries, not Catholic ones, even though the financial center was in Northern Italy.

63 Culture of Capitalism Religious beliefs ideas Values Habits and practices Modes of life

64 Spirit of Capitalism Against materialism as historical method (Marxism): Materialism explains ideas, beliefs, art, and culture through economic categories. Weber, by contrast, explains capitalism through cultural categories.

65 Culture of Capitalism Religious beliefs ideas Values Habits and practices Modes of life

66 Culture of Capitalism Religious beliefs ideas Values Habits and practices Modes of life Art

67 Culture of Capitalism Art, not only religion, shapes culture. Art works are attuned to the cultural aspects of capitalism. Art works capture effects of capitalism.


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