Sociology Question

This is a standard type of paper assigned in social and political theory courses

around the country, but its concept may be new to you if you’ve never had a theory

class before. Hence this explanation, which we’ll discuss in class as well. The paper will

allow you, as an undergrad, to grapple directly with a core text rather than the usual

textbooks or summaries. Hopefully, it will stretch your mind as part of a fruitful learning

experience. The paper is to be mainly an elaboration in your own words of a small

portion of the course readings. It is not a research paper or a paper that makes an

argument or takes a side, although you can certainly express your opinions briefly in

your conclusion. Rather, your job is to grasp the key theoretical points in the assigned

texts, to write about them clearly and logically, and to prove that you have gotten it

right by illustrating up your key points with quotations from the texts that are part of

the paper assignment.

Content: Using Max Weber on Protestantism as well as class discussions as your

sources, discuss and evaluate Weber’s thesis concerning the relationship of

Protestantism to capitalism. Based on lecture, what is Webers general thesis/idea

about this relationship? How did he think that the mentality of Protestant sects in

America illustrate and encourage the capitalist spirit? How for example was religion

used as a credit reference? How did Protestant sects with very rigorous membership

criteria help foster the capitalist spirit? How did Methodist rules about honest trading?

How do the US founder and philosopher Benjamin’s Franklin’s well-known expressions

that “time is money” and “honesty is the best policy” illustrate Weber’s points about the

capitalist mentality? Finally, based on your own experiences in work situations or those

of people you know, in what ways is the type of mentality Weber is describing present

or absent in the culture of work in today’s USA

Requirements: 1500-2500 words, 5-8 pages

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