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

Franklin’s religion

Franklin’s religionProtestant ancestors, hiding English Bible

Franklin’s religionProtestant ancestors, hiding English BiblePuritan New England

Franklin’s religionProtestant ancestors, hiding English BiblePuritan New EnglandPresbyterian

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)


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)

Franklin’s religionProtestant ancestors, hiding English BiblePuritan New EnglandPresbyterianPraises monastic life of woman living in garretBUT

Franklin’s religionProtestant ancestors, hiding English BiblePuritan New EnglandPresbyterianPraises monastic life of woman living in garret

BUTDoubts Revelation

Franklin’s doubtsBut 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)

Franklin’s doubtsBut 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)

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)

Franklin’s religionProtestant ancestors, hiding English BiblePuritan New EnglandPraises monastic life of woman living in garretBUTDoubts RevelationFounds Deist sect

Franklin’s religionProtestant ancestors, hiding English BiblePuritan New EnglandPraises quasi-monastic life of nun living in garretBUTDoubts RevelationFounds Deist sect. Deism: abstract creator god (deus), removed from specific confessions and forms of organized religion

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."

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."

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

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Study of world religions, incl.

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Study of world religions, incl.Confucianism and Taoism (China)

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Study of world religions, incl.Confucianism and Taoism (China)Buddhism and Hinduism (India)

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Study of world religions, incl.Confucianism and Taoism (China)Buddhism and Hinduism (India)Ancient Judaism

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Study of world religions, incl.Confucianism and Taoism (China)Buddhism and Hinduism (India)Ancient JudaismChristianity

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Capitalism exists everywhere

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Capitalism exists everywhereGreed

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Capitalism exists everywhereGreed (self-interest)Capitalist adventurers (irrational speculation)

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Capitalism exists everywhereGreed (self-interest)Capitalist adventurers (irrational speculation)War expenditures

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Capitalism exists everywhereBUT

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Capitalism exists everywhereBUTIt becomes a dominant system in Christian

countries

Max Weber (1862 – 1920)

Capitalism exists everywhereBUTIt becomes a dominant system in Christian

countriesANDIt thrives in Protestant countries as well as

Protestant areas of multi-confessional countries more than in Catholic ones

Spirit of Capitalism

Bourgeois capitalism:


Bourgeois capitalism:Peaceful organization of profit (containment of

raw greed or desire for profit)Rule of law


Bourgeois capitalism:Peaceful organization of profit (containment of

raw greed or desire for profit)Rule of law Rationalization of capitalism (against irrational

speculation)

WHY?

WHY?

Religious roots of capitalism

WHY?


HOW?

WHY?


HOW?Religion creates the conditions for

capitalism


Protestantism abolishes monasteries


Protestantism abolishes monasteries, but monasticism does not disappear. It is dispersed.


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)

Asceticism

Asceticism askesis (Greek): practice; exercise;

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


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"

What is worldly asceticism?

Benjamin Franklin: frugality and industry


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)


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)


Benjamin Franklin: frugality and industryThis mean:Limits on consumption. Cradle of modern

economic man.



economic man.Work as ascetic practice, not a means to an end.



economic man.Work as ascetic practice, not a means to an end. Work as calling (vocation).



economic man.Work as ascetic practice, not means to an end.Work as calling (vocation).Fixed calling (Luther) justification for division of

labor.


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

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.

Spirit of Capitalism/Modernity

Rationalization


RationalizationDouble entry book keeping


RationalizationDouble entry book keepingEconomic calculation


RationalizationDouble entry book keepingEconomic calculationMathematics



Disenchantment Monotheism, critique of miracles



Disenchantment Monotheism, critique of miraclesSystem of ethics (Franklin’s method)

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)


“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)


“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)


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.

Culture of Capitalism

Religious beliefsideasValues Habits and practices Modes of life


Against materialism as historical method (Marxism):

Materialism explains ideas, beliefs, art, and culture through economic categories.

Weber, by contrast, explains capitalism through cultural categories.


Religious beliefsideasValuesHabits and practicesModes of life


Religious beliefsideasValuesHabits and practicesModes of life

Art


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

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

Documents

franklins religion slide

english bible slide

franklins doubts

doubts revelation slide

franklins essentials

deist sect slide

known religion

monastic life of nun