Religious Affiliation And Worldly Success

The objective of this book is to test Max Weber's hypothesis that differing religious preferences are associated with varying degrees of worldly success. Weber first observed a correlation between being Protestant and being involved in business. He argued that the religious ideas of groups such as the Calvinists which were 'This-worldly' played a role in creating the capitalistic spirit and not Catholicism because of being 'Other- worldly'. The setting of the study is Mukonchi Farm Block in Kipiri-Mposhi District, in Central Province, Zambia. The relationship between religious preference and worldly success as currently found among Protestants and Catholics in Mukonchi is analysed. Five indices were used to measure the socio-economic achievement of the Protestants and Catholics, namely; income, academic level, employment, status and formal groups involved in. The impact of Protestant-Catholic values and beliefs was measured. The findings of this study offer some support for a contemporary interpretation of the Weberian thesis of the Protestant-Ethic, while presenting important modifications.