19c calvin capitalism chicago christianity class classic critical-theory cultural-studies culture economic-history economics economy ethics europe finance franklin german germany history intellectual-history labor luther marxism non-fiction nonfiction political-economy political-science political-theory politics protestantism psychology reference reformation religion school social-science society sociology textbook theory united-states wealth weber work

This brilliant study opposes the Marxist concept of dialectical materialism and its view that change takes place through the conflict of opposites. Instead, Weber relates the rise of a capitalist economy to the Puritan determination to work out anxiety over salvation or damnation by performing good deeds  an effort that ultimately encouraged capitalism.