Thesis (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Max Weber’s text, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1904-5), also
called “the Weber thesis”, has animated debates on the relationship between religion,
particularly Calvinism, and capitalism for over a century. Many studies have been done to
test the validity of the relationship between religion, particularly Protestantism, and
capitalism in different parts of the world. However, the case of the relationship between
Calvinism and capitalism in South Africa has received limited scholarly attention. In the view
of the political economist Francis Fukuyama, ‘the failure of the Calvinist Afrikaners to
develop a thriving capitalist system until the last quarter of the [19th] century’ is an anomaly
that needs explanation. My doctoral thesis takes up this challenge and offers an understanding
of the engagement of Boers/Afrikaner Calvinists with trade, later modern industrial
capitalism, from 1652 to 1948.
In order to understand the South African case study — Calvinism found roots at the
Cape in 1652 and is significant still today — I have employed historical sociology as my
methodology. My preference was guided by Weber’s use of a form of this methodology. This
allows for nuanced understandings of Calvinism and forms of capitalism at different periods
in its evolution. I have employed Weberian sociological theory, including his ideal type
constructs such as the Protestant ethic, bureaucracy and the spirit of capitalism, to gain
greater insight. In my analysis I have also relied on Weber’s Verstehen (interpretive)
frameworks to offer more nuanced results. To add to the conceptual framework, I have used
Weber’s metaphor of the “switchmen” in order to trace the impact of ideas. Of course, the
focus is on Calvin’s ideas as they were reintroduced at different periods in South African
Calvinist history: often to suit new socio-political conditions and material interests.
I trace the values of the Protestant ethic and the attitudes expressing the spirit of
capitalism, following Weber, through an investigation of bureaucratisation of business and
government. I show the increased convergence of the Afrikaner Calvinist volk with the spirit
of modern industrial capitalism in the early 20th century through the call by the elite among
the Afrikaners acting as ideological “switchmen” through their ideas and wanting to alleviate
poverty amongst the group. Finally, the thesis shows the validity of the Weber thesis and its
use for the study of Afrikaner Calvinism, including in period that follows after 1948. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Max Weber se teks, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1904-5), ook
genoem “die Weber tesis”, het debatte oor die verhouding tussen religie, veral Calvinisme, en
kapitalisme vir meer as ‘n eeu geanimeer. Daar is vele studies wat poog om die geldigheid
van ‘n verband tussen religie, veral Protestantisme en kapitalisme in ander dele van die
wêreld te beoordeel. Die verhouding tussen Calvinisme en kapitalisme in Suid Afrika het
egter beperkte akademiese ondersoek gekry. Na die siening van die politieke ekonoom
Francis Fukuyama is “die onvermoë van die Calvinistiese Afrikaners om ‘n welvarende
kapitalistiese stelsel te ontwikkel tot voor die laaste kwart van die [19de] eeu” ‘n anomalie wat
verduideliking benodig. My doktorale tesis neem die uitdaging aan en bied insig in die
verband tussen Afrikaner Calvinisme en handel, later, moderne industriële kapitalisme, van
1652 tot 1948.
Historiese sosiologie, gelei deur ‘n Weberiaanse benadering, is as metodologie
toegepas om insig te kry in die Suid-Afrikaanse gevallestudie – Calvinisme vestig in die
Kaap in 1652 en is tans nog betekenisvol. Dit het my in staat gestel om ‘n genuanseerde
begrip van Calvinisme en die vorms van kapitalisme in verskillende tydperke in sy evolusie
te ontwikkel. Weberiaanse sosiale teorie, insluitend sy ideale tipes konsepte, soos die
Protestante etiek, burokrasie en die gees van kapitalisme is toegepas om beter insig te kry. In
my analise het ek op Weber se Verstehen (interpretatiewe) raamwerke gesteun om meer
genuanseerde resultate op te lewer. Weber se metafoor van die “switchmen” is aangewend
om die nalatenskap van idees te volg. Die fokus is natuurlik veral op die wyse waarop Calvyn
se idees herhaaldelik gebruik is gedurende verskillende tydperke in Suid-Afrikaanse
Calvinistiese geskiedenis: soms om nuwe sosio-politieke kondisies en materiële belange te
bevredig.
Ek het die waardes van die Protestante etiek en houdings wat, volgens Weber, die
gees van kapitalisme uitdruk, in die burokratisering van besigheid en regering ondersoek. Ek
het toenemende konvergensie tussen die Afrikaner Calvinistiese volk en die gees van
moderne industriële kapitalisme in die vroeë 20e eeu, gevoed deur die oproep van die elite
onder die Afrikaners wat waarneem as ideologiese “switchmen” deur hulle idees in die
poging om armoede onder die groep te verlig, uitgelig. Laastens, die tesis bewys die
geldigheid van die Weber tesis en sy toepassing in die studie van Afrikaner Calvinisme,
insluitend die tydperk wat volg na 1948.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/17805 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Begg, Mohammed Rashid |
| Contributors | Muller, Hans Peter, Walker, C. J., University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Sociology and Social Anthropology. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ix, 212 p. : ill. |
| Rights | University of Stellenbosch |
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