General thesis of Weber’s The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.
According to Weber, the religious beliefs of groups like Calvinists helped in creating Capitalism from the protestanic culture that existed initially. He also adds that, there is correlation between being a protestant and being a capitalist in religion. He believes that, the spirit of capitalism determines profit as a goal and pursuing profit as being worthy. Calvinists are certain that God knows who is righteous and who is not. They therefore adopted material things and profits as a gift from God. This they called Predestination.
In order for capitalism to become dominant, the spirit of capitalism has been present before the capitalistic era, as complaints of profitability emerged. Traditionalism then became its greatest threat. In the traditional helm, laborers were motivated to work by increasing the pay by the harvested products.
Weber believes that their exists both negative and positive dimensions in civilization. The appearance of contemporary structures of awareness, have inevitably become the oppression of the iron cage. Protestants who arose from the Reformation pursued economic spirit as if it were an end in itself. Therefore it was believed that Protestants participate more in pursuing profit than do other religions like Catholics.