The Protestant work ethic, the Calvinist work ethic or the Puritan work ethic is a concept in theology, sociology, economics and history which emphasizes that hard work, discipline and frugality are a result of a person’s subscription to the values espoused by the Protestant faith, particularly Calvinism.
This contrasts with the focus upon religious attendance, confession, and ceremonial sacrament in the Roman Catholic tradition. A person does not need to be a religious Calvinist in order to follow the Protestant work ethic, as it is a part of certain cultures impacted by the Protestant Reformation.
The concept is often credited with helping to define the societies of Northern, Central and Western Europe such as in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom (except England), Germany and Switzerland. Even though some of these countries were more affected by Lutheranism or Anglicanism than Calvinism, local Protestants nevertheless were influenced by these ideas to a varying degree. As penal law was enacted to uphold the uniform teachings of the Church of England in England, only various English dissenters held to those values. Among them were the Puritans who emigrated to New England, bringing the work ethic with them and helping define the culture of what would become the United States of America. Germanic immigrants brought their work ethic to the United States of America, Canada, South Africa and other European colonies.
The phrase was initially coined in 1904–05 by Max Weber in his book The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.
Protestants, beginning with Martin Luther, reconceptualized worldly work as a duty which benefits both the individual and society as a whole. Thus, the Catholic idea of good works was transformed into an obligation to consistently work diligently as a sign of grace. Whereas Catholicism teaches that good works are required of Catholics as a necessary manifestation of the faith they received, and that faith apart from works is dead (James 2:14–26) and barren, the Calvinist theologians taught that only those who were predestined (cf. the Calvinist concept of double predestination) to be saved would be saved.
Since it was impossible to know who was predestined, the notion developed that it might be possible to discern that a person was elect (predestined) by observing their way of life. Hard work and frugality were thought to be two important consequences of being one of the elect. Protestants were thus attracted to these qualities and supposed to strive for reaching them.
Writer Frank Chodorov argued that the Protestant ethic was long considered indispensable for American political figures:
There was a time, in these United States, when a candidate for public office could qualify with the electorate only by fixing his birthplace in or near the “log cabin.” He may have acquired a competence, or even a fortune, since then, but it was in the tradition that he must have been born of poor parents and made his way up the ladder by sheer ability, self-reliance, and perseverance in the face of hardship. In short, he had to be “self made.” The so-called Protestant Ethic then prevalent held that man was a sturdy and responsible individual, responsible to himself, his society, and his God. Anybody who could not measure up to that standard could not qualify for public office or even popular respect. One who was born “with a silver spoon in his mouth” might be envied, but he could not aspire to public acclaim; he had to live out his life in the seclusion of his own class.
There has been a revitalization of Weber’s interest, including the work of Lawrence Harrison, Samuel P. Huntington, and David Landes. In a New York Times article, published in June 8, 2003, Niall Ferguson pointed that data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) seems to confirm that “the experience of Western Europe in the past quarter-century offers an unexpected confirmation of the Protestant ethic. To put it bluntly, we are witnessing the decline and fall of the Protestant work ethic in Europe. This represents the stunning triumph of secularization in Western Europe—the simultaneous decline of both Protestantism and its unique work ethic.”
It is common for those in a Protestant work culture to skip lunch (traditionally being sustained from a large breakfast) or to eat lunch while doing their job. This is in contrast to Catholic cultures which practice siesta at lunch time, and neo-Confucianist cultures such as China, Korea, and Japan which have a one- or two-hour lunch break. Some countries such as Spain have experimented with banning siesta in order to try to adopt the Protestant work ethic, with hopes of reducing their financial debt via hard-working and efficient employees. In Italy, many shops now remain open during siesta, while in China, companies are encouraging employees to give up their traditional break time.
The economist Joseph Schumpeter (a Catholic) argues that capitalism began in Italy in the 14th century, not in the Protestant areas of Europe. Other factors that further developed the European market economy included the strengthening of property rights and lowering of transaction costs with the decline and monetization of feudalism, and the increase in real wages following the epidemics of bubonic plague.
Becker and Wossmann at the University of Munich have written a discussion paper describing an alternate theory. The abstract to this states that the literacy gap between Protestants (as a result of the Reformation) and Catholics sufficiently explains the economic gaps, and that the “[r]esults hold when we exploit the initial concentric dispersion of the Reformation to use distance to Wittenberg as an instrument for Protestantism.” However, they also note that, between Luther (1500) and 1871 Prussia, the limited data available has meant that the period in question is regarded as a “black box” and that only “some cursory discussion and analysis” is possible.
I typically dislike having to associate German work ethic with Christianity, it is this very angle Varg uses against Germans and his Anti-German Industrialist grudge stems directly from this. Naturally I cannot credit Christianity because I cannot imagine my forebears prior to Roman assimilation being a bunch of idlers, I don’t even resent the assimilation by Romans unlike those LARPing modern pagans because it gave me my name which I am proud of despite having Levant origins, also if gave me that charming set of Latinized German Runes I use as my signature 🙂
Seriously though Roman infrastructure gave to us a lot which I can appreciate even if I don’t agree with everything else. I at least acknowledge that German Catholics are a lot more responsible and reasonable than the average Thick Headed Midwestern American Baptist, Nihilistic Atheistic Marxist or LARPing Heathen Techno-Phobic re-constructionist.
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Typically German work ethic goes for both Protestant and Catholics. Austrians seems to have a high work ethic, even though they are Catholics (as far as i know).
The interesting thing is also, that those who changed Christianity to suit themselves in what was or became high trust societies are in general all Protestants.
When you look a the world, you can clearly see. That the most well functioning countries are in genral Protestant.
The the least corrupt countries are Protestants.
The most peaceful countries are Protestants.
The countries EVERYBODY wants to live in are Protestants.
And so on.
“I typically dislike having to associate German work ethic with Christianity, it is this very angle Varg uses against Germans and his Anti-German Industrialist grudge stems directly from this.”
The Scandinavian countries are not that different, they just had more focus on the social side and therefor more tax, higher salaries, less competitive.
This infomation is from 2011
The pay is measured in Danish Kroner and showing average hourly earnings including holiday, pension, etc. in the 2009 awards.
1. Norge 291,00
2. Danmark 267,6
3. Belgien 266,8
4. Østrig 259,4
5. Tyskland 251,2
6. Schweiz 239,2
7. Finland 236,4
8. Holland 234,9
9. Frankrig 216,4
10. Sverige 215,3
11. Irland 210,7
12. Italien 188,8
13. Australien 186,9
14. USA 181,1
15. Storbritannien 166,2
16. Japan 163,9
17. Canada 159,84
18. Spanien 149,8
19. Grækenland 103,8
20. Israel 99,3
21. Singapore 94,5
22. New Zealand 94,2
23. Sydkorea 76,7
24. Portugal 64,5
25. Slovakiet 60,7
26. Tjekkiet 60,5
27. Argentina 54,8
28. Estland 53,1
29. Ungarn 46,5
30. Brasilien 44,9
31. Taiwan 41,9
32. Polen 40,5
33. Mexico 29,1
34. Filippinerne 8,1
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Germany isn’t even on that list 😐
Though I did get a chuckle to see Poland right below Taiwan and above Mexico. Gods, Brazil is higher than Poland.
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Wake up white man! LOL! 🙂
5. Tyskland 251,2 – You told me that you knew the meaning of Tyske Ludder yesterday!
Yes, Hungary is just abow Brasil, Czech Republic 26, Slovak 25, Greece 19, UK 15, France 9, Austria 4
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Of course silly me, it’s not a word I use often.
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I would also like to add.
Work to a modern Pagan = Slavery as they’re usually a bunch of unemployable human failures who would have been sent to labor camps during the Third Reich.
Work to a true German = Arbeit Macht Frei – Work will make you Free! this is something many idlers simply do not grasp, work is spiritual in its purest essence to these social parasites it’s only just materialistic and about money thus they view the pursuit of trades as distasteful and view us as Wage/Debt slaves – more black and white thinking. During all the periods I was unemployed in my life I had the worst mental and physical health, I was miserable and I can even see it when skimming through my Archives through certain phases. My father is especially the same work is absolutely required to retain a healthy state of mind and body, the mere notion of retirement is in fact adverse to him, even my sibling despite his Liberalism retained his high German work ethic. It is not something one can simply remove from us nor do I view it as unnatural programming placed within us via external indoctrination.
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“Work to a modern Pagan = Slavery as they’re usually a bunch of unemployable human failures who would have been sent to labor camps during the Third Reich.”
HA HA Good one!
Andrew Anglin said something like colored people are more content with poverty, because of a chemical in the brain. I dont remember the name. Where people from cold countries are less content and more hard working to survive.
It is good examples, you give!
As you know, I am not Christian and have no interest in promoting Christianity. I find it interesting, that you can give or force people to be more or less Christian and get very very different outcome.
Catholics from Poland and Nigeria are very very different from German and Austrian Catholics.
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I have actually noticed the difference between Polish Catholics and German Catholics, there is the abstract angle of religion adapted to suit inherent biological factors which cannot be changed. As for Africans, Andrew Anglin would in fact be correct. Tropical peoples are more content with unemployment or idleness as they do not have the trait for preparation in their natural selection, originally Africa was lush and bountiful back when the Nile delta emptied into the Atlantic, then gradually the jungle recessed into central Africa and the surrounding continent became more arid due to exponential growth of the Hominid population. In contrast Winter kills all who cannot endure and fortify themselves against the elements, this is also why the European birth rate has always been much lower in contrast to other peoples, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to breed exponentially in an environment which would kill the weak or infirm, not mention it expends vital energy better used on those who can in fact survive to lead and prepare for the next wave thus we evolved in kind with said environment. Our work ethic which served as the foundation for all of our core qualities by extension: invention, civilization, conquest and exploration. Because of our initial Boreal evolution we’re the best at Bunkering in!
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Yes, yes and yes. My point, too!
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Also slightly off topic the Strong Europe Tank Competition concluded two days ago with the winner being Austria at 1st place, France at 2nd, Germany 3rd, Poland at 4th place, The Ukraine at 5th place with the U.S.A. at 6th place.
I saw the various teams working and coordinating combat maneuvers and repairs, Poland and the Ukraine looked like skittish amateurs and well the American team had Negro commanders go figure.
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It would be most polite to write something, but yours covers it all!
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“Also slightly off topic the Strong Europe Tank Competition concluded two days ago with the winner being Austria at 1st place, France at 2nd, Germany 3rd, Poland at 4th place, The Ukraine at 5th place with the U.S.A. at 6th place.
I saw the various teams working and coordinating combat maneuvers and repairs, Poland and the Ukraine looked like skittish amateurs and well the American team had Negro commanders go figure.”
Makes sense. I guess, that at least France have learned a little from history! So they can beat Germany at something, big suprice!
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I’d also like to add that the French have pretty decent tanks the armor most notably is the closest to German metallurgical composition the only other nation which comes close to Germany and France in tank technology would be Japan. The U.S.A. uses Depleted Uranium armor as you know is banned by most civilized nations.
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“I’d also like to add that the French have pretty decent tanks the armor most notably is the closest to German metallurgical composition the only other nation which comes close to Germany and France in tank technology would be Japan. The U.S.A. uses Depleted Uranium armor as you know is banned by most civilized nations.”
Good point, what about Russia, China, UK, South Korea and Taiwan?
As I remember a lot of American soldiers got sick after Afghanistan and Iraq because of Depleted Uranium armor and weapons. Is it something you know of?
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Yes, depleted Uranium while less radioactive than fuel grade material is still quite carcinogenic. One has to account to the factor of particulates from material dispersed into the air that servicemen breath.
Just like Asbestos Germany was the first nation to discover the harm such substances caused to human health and the environment and effectively banned it while other countries used it in their gasmask filters well into the 1980s. The Modern Russian Federation still uses Asbestos in their gasmask filters to this day. (Slavics go figure right?)
The U.K. has decent tanks as well albeit lighter in contrast, yet doesn’t stand up to German armor however, I should note the only reason why Japan has anything comparable is because of Germany in the first place. As I am aware only the U.S. uses Depleted Uranium armor due to have developed Uranium hexaflouride. The Slavs and Asians don’t use depleted Uranium armor incidentally enough more than likely because they lack the ability to properly re-utilize depleted Uranium despite having their own vast stockpiles, China doesn’t even have the ability to miniaturize nuclear material for missile warheads as just one example.
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Thanks
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I should probably make that a post.
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Yes, good idea! I would like that!
As you know, I make posts in wide range of topics and often they come together in the large perspective.
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Hello -haven’t been here for a while, and it looks like you changed blog themes … still being Dutch I adhere to the Protestant work-ethic, that’s why it is difficult for me to understand the “refugee” mentality (most of them are probably not real refugees) and am trying very hard not to be judgmental!!
Are you German or Scandinavian? Maybe I’ve been too long here in the USA to understand Miss Merkel – as I see it, she must have a split mind – on one side the Germans who provide the economy, and on the other side the refugees who are happily taking advantage of the money of the tax payers. I don’t know much about how they’re solving the refugee problem in Scandinavia
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Hi Jesh
Its a good idea not to be judgmental, and it is hard to find the right balance between not being judgmental and “judgmental”. We often make the mistake of projecting our own ethic and moral standards onto others. We could never dream of traveling to another country, because of their generous welfare system. The problem is, that they can and do.
I guess, that the problem starts with our politicians. Immigrants and refugees (real or most likely not) comes here because they are allowed to, and they do crime and so on because they can get away with it, or with very little consequence.
I am Scandinavian, more precisely Danish.
“Maybe I’ve been too long here in the USA to understand Miss Merkel – as I see it, she must have a split mind – on one side the Germans who provide the economy, and on the other side the refugees who are happily taking advantage of the money of the tax payers.”
It’s the same kind of Cognitive Dissonance we are dealing with here, cultural enrichment vs economic burden. I guess, that’s how it became so conspiring!
The Scandinavian countries deal with the immigrant/regugee problem very differently. Sweden are working a lot faster towards total collapse, were as Norway and maybe more so Denmark try to be a little more cautious.
“it looks like you changed blog themes”
For better or worse?
🙂
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