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Hinduism and Confucianism

• Weber argues the protestant work ethic is one cause not the only cause of capitalism

• Material and economic factors are also required -> resources, trade, money, towns, laws etc

• Other countries had higher levels of economic development but did not develop modern capitalism

• China and India -> more developed -> no capitalism because a lack of a religious belief system

• Both Hinduism and Confucianism thus lacked the drive to systematically accumulate wealth that is necessary for modern capitalism

Evaluation of Weber

• Weber overestimated the role of ideas and underestimates economic factors

• Technological change not religion brought about capitalism

• Capitalism did not develop in every country that had Calvinists beliefs e.g. Scotland

• Religion and social protest

• Steve Bruce (2003) looks at two examples of how religious ideas have been used to inspire protest movements and have tried to change society

The Civil Rights Movement

• Bruce looks at the struggle of black Americans in the 1950/60s -> slavery had been abolished but blacks still lacked political and legal rights

• Martin Luther King was key in Civil Rights Movement -> churches as a meetings point -> a sanctuary from white violence -> rituals, prayers, hymns as a source of unity in the face of oppression

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Sample questions:

Applying material from Item A, analyse two arguments in support of the idea that religion is a conservative social force. (10 marks)

Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the extent to which religious beliefs can be a force for social change. (20 marks)

Religion as a conservative force

Religion’s beliefs

• Most religions have traditional conservative beliefs -> oppose changes to personal and sexual matters e.g. divorce, abortion, contraception, gay marriage

• Traditional views on gender roles and family values -> bride must ‘love, honour and obey’ husband

Religion’s functions

• Religion and consensus: functions to preserve things as they are and maintain the status quo

• Religion creates social solidarity -> prevents society from collapsing

• Religion and capitalism: religion prevents social change -> disguising exploitation prevents a revolution

• Religion and patriarchy: conservative as it acts as an ideology to legitimise patriarchy

Religion as a force for change

• Weber: religious beliefs can bring about social change

Calvinism

• Religious beliefs brought about modern capitalism -> past societies had capitalism based on greed for wealth and luxury consumption

• Modern capitalism is based on systematic, efficient, rational pursuit of wealth for wealth’s sake

• ‘The spirit of Capitalism’

Calvinist beliefs

• Predestination: predetermined souls will be save – ‘the elect’ – and which would not before birth -> individuals cannot change this as God’s decision has been made

• Divine transcendence: God was so far above this world and greater than any mortal -> no human could know his will other than what is in texts -> creates an unprecedented inner loneliness’/ salvation panic = do not know if they have been saved and cannot earn it

• Asceticism: abstinence, self-discipline and self-denial -> avoid excess and devote to God

• The idea of a vocation or a calling: The only thing Calvinists knew of God’s plan came from the Bible -> revealed we were put on the earth to glorify God’s name by our work -> meant constant, methodical work in an occupation

How Calvinism led to capitalism

• Calvinists led an ascetic lifestyle shunning all luxury, worked long hours -> Idleness is a sin

• Their wealth and success performed a psychological function -> allowed them to cope with their salvation panic.

• As they grew wealthier, they took this as a sign of God’s favour and their salvation

• Driven by their work ethic, they accumulated wealth -> not permitting themselves to squander it on luxuries, they reinvested it in their businesses -> grew and prospered and so on

• This is the very spirit of modern capitalism –> where the object is simply the acquisition of more and more money as an end in itself

Topic 2: Religion and Social Change

• LT lost influence as it was condemned by the church for resembling Marxism -> but it played a part in resisting state terror and bringing democracy -> still defends democracy and human rights

• Religion is not always a conservative force -> it can be a revolutionary force that brings social change

• The success of LT depends of how social change is defined -> it helped to bring about democracy but didn’t threaten the stability of capitalism

Millenarian Movements -> they have a desire to create the Kingdom of God on earth -> Christ will come to the world and rule for a second time -> this will create the imminent transformation by supernatural powers

• These movements appeal to the poor as is promises imminent improvements -> often in colonial situations

• These movements can lead to unrest and threaten colonial rule e.g. ‘cargo cults’

• Worsley described these movements as ‘pre-political’ -> they used religious ideas and images and united native populations that spanned tribal divisions

• Engels = the social change they created was they represent the first awakening of the ‘proletarian self-conscious’

Religion and Hegemony

• Gramsci -> when hegemony is established the ruling class can rely on popular consent to their rule -> less need for coercion

• Hegemony is never guaranteed -> WC can always develop an alternative vision of society = counter-hegemony

• Religion has a dual character -> it can support the ruling class or is can help WC challenge the ruling class -> clergy act as organic intellectuals

• Billings -> textile workers vs coalminers -> miners had leadership, organisation and support from religion

• Black clergy could shame whites into changing the law by appealing to their shared Christian values of equality -> gained national support

• Religion is an ideological resource -> provides beliefs and practices that protestors could draw on for support

• Religion allowed them to take the moral high ground -> point out hypocrisy -> channelling dissent -> funeral of MLK used as rally -> acting as an honest broker-> churches were respected so can negotiate in them -> mobilising public opinion -> black churches in the south campaigned across the whole of America

• Bruce believes this is an example of how religion can be involved in a secular struggle and help bring about social change

The New Christian Right

• The New Christian Right are a politically and morally conservative, Protestant fundamentalist movement ->1960s opposed liberalisation of America

• Aim to ‘take America back to God’ -> anti-abortion, homosexuality, gay marriage, divorce, sex education -> pro traditional gender and family roles

• They spread their message through the media and networking -> televangelism to convert and recruit new members -> links with the Republican Party

• Brue argues they have been largely unsuccessful -> they don’t cooperate with other religious groups (even on the same issues e.g. abortion) -> opposition from groups who stand for freedom

• This is a failed movement for social change -> Americans don’t want to be ruled by religious leaders -> don’t want to be ruled by other people’s definitions of how they should live

Marxism, religion and change

• Marxists recognise that ideas can have relative autonomy -> they can be partly independent of the economic base -> religion can have a dual character = it can be a force for change as well as stability

• Marx believes religion can humanise a world made inhumane by exploitation -> ‘the heart of a heartless world’, ‘soul of soulless conditions’ -> even if the comfort is an illusion

• Engels = religion inhibits change by disguising inequality -> it can change the status quo and encourage social change e.g. preaching liberation from slavery

• Ernst Bloch: the principle of hope -> religion has a dual character -> religion can have a positive and negative influence on social change

• Religion can inspire protest and rebellion -> religion is an expression of ‘the principle of hope’ -> our dreams of a better life that contains an image of utopia

• Utopia can deceive people with promises of rewards in heaven but it can also help people see what needs to be changed -> vision of a better world -> if combined with political leadership can create change

• Liberation Theology -> A movement that occurred within the Catholic Church in Latin America -> for centuries Latin America had been conservative and encouraged a fatalistic acceptance of poverty and supported wealthy elites

• Liberation theology (LT) emerged because of -> deepening rural poverty and urban slums -> human right abuse -> Catholic priests opposing human right breaches

• LT set out to change society -> priests helped the poor to set up base communities -> protection of the church -> literacy programmes -> education

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