A Religião e o Capital, Max Weber

The text analyzes the statistical correlation between religious affiliation and economic success, highlighting the predominance of Protestants in leadership positions and capital ownership in Germany. The author argues that this disparity stems not only from historical legacies but also from a distinct educational and spiritual orientation that favors economic rationalism. While Catholicism tended towards a greater preservation of traditions and manual occupations, branches such as Calvinism and Pietism integrated rigorous religious discipline with intense commercial activity. This connection suggests that the rigor of Puritan ethics, far from being an obstacle, functioned as an engine for the development of the capitalist spirit. Thus, the work proposes to investigate how the intrinsic characteristics of each belief shaped professional behavior and modern social stratification.