Assignment#2
In The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism by Max Weber Weber coated lines written by Benjamin Franklin to describe the spirit of capitalism where he stated :
“Remember, that time is money. He that can earn ten shillings
a day by his labour, and goes abroad, or sits idle, one-half of
that day, though he spends but sixpence during his diversion or
idleness, ought not to reckon that the only expense; he has
really spent, or rather thrown away, five shillings besides” (weber14).
Franklin was saying that our time equaled money and a person can either work for their money or go idle and spend the little that they have. But money can disappear as easy as it’s received. Plus, from I am drawing I think he believes that a man who works hard for their money would consider the and be more mindful of how he spends that money compared to one that did not work for it.
He connected rationalism and the spirit of capitalism by looking at capitalism as the pursuit of renewable profit. Everything is done in terms of balances, the amount of money gained versus how much is spent. He also quoted franklin on how money equals credit and how the government gets the interest. “Remember, that credit is money. If a man lets his money lie in my hands after it is due, he gives me the interest, or so much as I can make of it during that time. This amounts to a considerable sum where a man has good and large credit and makes good use of it”. Here he talks about business and loans and if you borrow and don’t pay on time they make a profit. This is where they rob poor people who worked hard for their money. It’s all a money making business where the poor suffers.
Weber believes that Franklin’s idea is not about making an honest living and finding their way in the world and the work ethic is more of a forgetful duty. And it’s more about profit and greed. He believed Benjamin Franklin was irrational and that making money was just a means of supplying material needs. And the drive to earn more and more money is a means to and end because you spend all your time at work and not enjoying life. He thought that capitalism was more than money and wealth to gain economic status.
Nice start. Remember, going forward, no quotes. As I hope you are beginning to see from our discussion on Wednesday, the credit that is extended to an individual will be based on the good name he has earned, as someone who repays his debts. When it is work itself that becomes the measure of a relationship to god, then surely that means time spent working will be valued above the time spent enjoying the fruits of labor.