Question

“The capitalistic economy of the present day is an immense cosmos into which the individual is born, and which presents itself to him, at least as an individual, as an unalterable order of things in which he must live. … In order that a manner of life so well adapted to the peculiarities of capitalism could be selected at all, i.e. should come to dominate others, it had to originate somewhere, and not in isolated individuals alone, but as a way of life common to whole groups of men. This origin is what really needs explanation. … The question of the motive forces in the expansion of modern capitalism is not in the first instance a question of the origin of the capital sums which were available for capitalistic uses, but, above all, of the development of the spirit of capitalism. Where it appears and is able to work itself out, it produces its own capital and monetary supplies as the means to its ends, but the reverse is not true.”
(Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism)
Which among the following is/are Weber’s argument(s) in the above excerpt?

• A. The origins of capitalism cannot be explained by purely material factors.
• B. Before it is mature, capitalism does not drive individual behaviour.
• C. Before it is fully functional, capitalism needed the support of an ethic.
• D. Capitalism requires greed to be adopted by all as “a manner of life”.

Hint:

Max Weber’s key contribution lies in showing how cultural values and ethics shape economic systems, rather than viewing economic change as driven only by material conditions.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A, B, C

Step 1: Core idea of Weber’s argument.
Weber argues that capitalism should not be understood merely as an economic system based on capital accumulation. Instead, its emergence must be explained through the development of a specific “spirit of capitalism”, that is, a set of ethical values and ways of life shared collectively by social groups.
Step 2: Analysis of Option (A).
The passage clearly states that the expansion of modern capitalism is not primarily about the availability of capital sums, but about the development of a particular spirit. This directly supports the claim that capitalism’s origins cannot be explained through purely material or economic factors. Hence, (A) is correct.
Step 3: Analysis of Option (B).
Weber describes capitalism as a system that later appears as an “unalterable order” into which individuals are born. This implies that before capitalism became mature and dominant, it did not automatically shape individual behaviour; rather, a supporting way of life had to emerge first. Therefore, (B) is a valid inference.
Step 4: Analysis of Option (C).
The emphasis on the “spirit of capitalism” shows that capitalism required an ethical foundation to develop and function effectively. Only once this ethic was established could capitalism generate its own capital and monetary means. Thus, (C) is clearly supported by the excerpt.
Step 5: Analysis of Option (D).
Weber does not describe capitalism as based on greed alone. Instead, he highlights disciplined conduct, rational work orientation, and ethical motivation. Therefore, reducing capitalism to universal greed misrepresents Weber’s argument, making (D) incorrect.
Step 6: Final conclusion.
The arguments that can be attributed to Weber in the given excerpt are (A), (B), and (C).