The Sociological Study of Religion

Running head: SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION
Sociology of Religion
Name of the Student
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Author Note

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SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION
The concept of religion has some connections with the economy and class factors as Max
Weber and Karl Marx has put it. There are very close connections between the two. The impact
of religion is very clear in the class distinctions within the society. The impact of class is very
crucial for the understanding the social status of the workers. This paper will look to put through
the facts how both the religion and the social classes have shaped the economy within various
countries (Attanasi and Yong 2012). They have stressed on the impacts of these aspects on the
capitalist countries precisely. The social divisions have been very impactful in determining the
economic condition of a poor worker.
The spirit of capitalism is the main thing that can be attributed to the social divisions.
This has a huge impact on the economic conditions of the country. Through many research
studies, it has been observed that the wealth gap between the rich and poor sections of the society
is most distinctive in the capitalist countries. Some capitalist countries have also used the
religion as a mode of social distinctions.
Therefore, they would like to create the diving lines between rich people and poor people
and create the ultimate barrier based on their ethnicity and religious backgrounds. Karl Marx and
Max Weber are the two most famous people who have highlighted this view for the readers.
There was a basic difference between the two proponents on this view. Karl Marx believed that
economic condition of the individual could attribute to the cultural or religious choice of the
person (Attanasi and Yong 2012). He believed that the reverse was not possible.
On the contrary, max Weber propagated the fact that the connection between the
economy and religion could be carried through both the ways. This means both religion and
economy could create the impacts on one another (Nelson 2014). Weber believed in the

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SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION
Reformed Protestantism. According to this belief, if a person preferred the hard work and have
full faith on his God, he will surely develop the economic prosperity in his life. Weber also
added the fact this kind of belief and value could definitely lead him to be more self-reliant.
These are some ways how the religious positions could influence the economic prosperity of the
human beings (Attanasi and Yong 2012).
In this case, lesser amount of interference from the government would surely stabilize the
economy indeed. The hypothesis of Weber named ‘protestant work ethic’ can be discussed in
this context (Bowler 2015). Some critics have made more research by surveying ardent believers
of faith and found there is very little or no influence of the Protestantism in the economic
prosperity of the people. One of the critics used his survey data from the workers of Germany
and he concluded that Weber’s hypothesis was true to some extent indeed (Attanasi and Yong
2012). On the other hand, some critics have found the positive influence of the Protestantism on
the economic progress of the workers. This means there is a mixed reaction on this view since
the beliefs of the people and their interpretation of the situation could lead to such outcomes
(Jamin 2018).
Both the Reformed and Lutheran Protestantism can be held as the measure sticks through
which the impact of religious beliefs could be felt on the economic conditions of the people
(Creaven 2014). Karl Marx on the other hand, has followed the path of determinism where he
discussed about capitalism and its impacts on the social class through the advent of religious
beliefs. The American Protestant work ethic is also one of those examples through which
capitalism and social class can be understood (Bowler 2015).