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Religion and the Rise of Capitalism · Theme
Religion and Economic Individualism
How Religion and the Rise of Capitalism develops Religion and Economic Individualism.
The text examines how religious changes, particularly the Reformation and the rise of Puritanism, contributed to the emergence of capitalist individualism, transforming the pursuit of profit from a moral peril into a virtuous and systematic endeavor.
Where it surfaces
- Luther
The chapter contrasts Luther's medieval, communal ideal with the rise of capitalist enterprise, showing how religious leaders attempted to resist or accommodate the new economic forces.
- The New Medicine for Poverty
Shows how Puritan religious individualism in the private soul led to an individualist morality that downplayed the significance of the social fabric and collective responsibility.