Thursday, June 27, 2013

The Protestant WORK Ethic and The Spirit of Capitalism – KARMA ANALYSIS

Reminds one of Mahatma Gandhi


Amongst the few Europeans who thought deeply about ‘Karma/Work’, the conclusions drawn by Max Weber, the German sociologist is most outstanding. In 1904-05 he published his findings titled “The Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism” in the German language. Many later scholars are of the opinion that this work was momentous.

CHRISTIANITY & CAPITALISM
As one can discern from the title of  Weber’s work, it  deals with the attitude of  Europeans, before after  Religious Reformation  took hold of Europe - towards WORK and how this attitude evolved or came about, so that it served as the base for the manifestation of the animalistic spirit of Capitalism. Weber claims that there is a close connection between RELIGION, ie the CHRISTIAN RELIGION, the RISE OF ECONOMIC  CAPITALISM, and the BIRTH  OF MODERN CIVILIZATION in WESTERN EUROPE. And  he unravels these connections, by analyzing the attitude towards work and money amongst European Christians, beginning with the Catholics.

World Christian community appears to the non-Christian to be a single body, but in reality it is divided into two major groups, Catholics and Protestants. Originally there was only a single large church(one true church, 1st Century AD), the Catholic Church, with the Pope of Vatican at its head. Over a period of time, ie after the ascension of Jesus to Heaven  to  the  Middle Ages, the Catholic Church and its priests and officials became highly corrupt. This corruption exists even now, and has assumed grotesque dimensions, considering the pedophilia cases registered against the Catholic priests. The Protestants are those Christians who revolted against the corrupt practices of the Catholic church, under Luther of Germany and Calvin of France. These revolting Christians demanded reformation within the original church, and later broke away from it and a new group called Protestants were formed.
The Catholic Church, in general conveyed to  the people of Europe that the WORK of the monk , nun and priests only possess worth, as it is divine ‘calling’ from God, and that the ordinary labour of the common people were insignificant, not possessing any value. The Church officials claimed this privilege, by preaching that they will be receiving exceptional rewards from God in heaven, for doing HIS work on earth. This official attitude of the Catholic Church was not acceptable to Luther and Calvin and those that rallied around them. They in turn proclaimed that all ‘work’ is God’s work and that all were equal before God.  Thus all kinds of work was looked upon with spiritual/divine significance.

RITUALS – THEIR  PSYCHOLOGICAL  UTILITY FOR THE MASSES
The story does not end here. Original  Christianity  ie. Catholicism was/is a combination  of pagan and Hellinistic beliefs and rituals. The laity was assured of God’s grace and forgiveness through the rituals, bordering magic, performed on their behalf by the priests and monks.eg. priestly  absolution  declared in the confessional  and the miracle of the wafer and wine turned to Christ’s body  and blood in the Mass. Protestants in their zealousness, branded these supernatural rituals of the Catholics as superstitious and satanic. Little did they realize, that indirectly these rituals assuaged the fearful inner emotions of the people, by assuring them of God’s abundant grace, because ordinary people firmly believed in  the mediating power of the Church, through such rituals. Like the Prophet, it was considered that The Church performed the necessary intercession between common people and God.

 PROTESTANTISM  & PREDESTINATION
A central doctrine of Protestantism is that of predestination. Some are elected by God to go to heaven and some were condemned to Hell. This doctrine, unsettled may followers of Protestantism. There were not sure and were worried about their final destiny. They kept wondering about the mysterious decision of God relating to each one of them, which filled them with deep anguish.  Catholicism, had a solution to this type of uncertainty. The  Catholic church channeled the grace of God and forgiveness for any sin committed by suitable rituals, mostly upon payment. But this relief mechanism were not available to Protestants. They kept on pestering their pastors for a solution. Thus came up the solution that all kinds of work were divinely ordained, and that each one should do work to the best of his ability, with sincerity and diligence and the prosperity(wealth) so achieved is a sign of election by God, with assurance of a place in heaven. The puritan aspect of the Protestant religion forbade the believers in spending the wealth so earned, in luxuries and other pleasurable pursuits. As per their religious beliefs they were to lead a simple and frugal life. Thus without any avenues for spending the wealth so earned, it accumulated immensely over a period of time. Now more wealth meant , more closeness to God, and therefore these neo-rich Protestants looked for fresh pastures to invest and multiply the money so accumulated. There were other factors that helped them to make investments in various fields like double-entry book keeping, dependence on mathematical and experimental science etc. The combination of all these factors gave rise to the ‘spirit of Capitalism”, the major impetus provided by Protestantism.


Weber says that this type of behavior by Protestants were entirely different from those greedy merchants, pirates and Kings in Europe (as well as other far away places in the East), who wanted to become rich. The wealth that  they gathered dishonestly, by plundering or heavy-taxation, they spent lavishly over luxuries and other pleasurable pursuits.

MORAL REVERSAL.
The Bible’s attitude towards wealth is summarized in the following words of Jesus (Matthew 19:23-26) “I tell you the TRUTH, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”. Within the Catholic Church, there was utter contradiction  between preaching and practice of this doctrine. The rich could absolve of their sins , by bribing the church officials and asking for indulgence.(Remission of sin). Thus the rich  could move closer to God with the help of the Church.This was the major reason for corruption within the Catholic establishment. The Catholic Church , thus initiated the subversion of the teachings of Jesus. Rich men could bribe ‘men & institutions’ (priests & Church) for a permanent seat in heaven !!!.

 

 It is an irony that  the reformist Protestants solved this doctrinal thorn, which they believed to be the root cause of corruption within the Catholic Church,  by resorting to a moral reversal of the stand taken by Jesus. They affirmed that, earning more wealth meant that proportionately God liked them , and they could sit by the side of God in heaven.

Analysis vis-à-vis THE GITA
As per  Catholic Christians, work other than religious work, did not have any intrinsic value. This was overturned later  by Protestants, and they came to the belief that all work is invested with divine significance. All work is divine ‘calling’.  Weber calls this as ‘secularization’ of ALL work.
The Bible gives the message that , it was the poor that Jesus loved;  the rich he condemned.  The Protestants  reversed  this  biblical message, and  took to the belief that the wealthier they are, accordingly they are in the good books of God and closer to HIM. The people who are poor and not having wealth , are being punished by  GOD. Poverty and squalor are signs of punishment by God.The followers of the Bible thus dithered regarding the true purport of work and its fruits, because such knowledge is absent in  the Bible.

Compared to the Gita, the Bible fails to provide a scientific  basis for ‘karma/work’.  The Gita 18:13 & 14 provides minute analysis about work/moment/action/karma and dispenses lot of knowledge about work/karma. The Gita 18:48  says that all karmas/work has got negative consequences. This tallies with the Second Law of Thermodynamics  in  Physics.  From 18:48, it follows that something gone wrong by virtue of a karma, cannot be rectified with another karma.


In spite of having the knowledge and experience that all karmas have  negative consequences, the Gita 18 :5, says that the following three karmas  must never be given up - ie.  yagna,  dana(charity?) and thapa (meditation?)  must be performed at any ‘cost’, but with the following conditions. 

Work/movement /action/karma  for the above three ‘functions’ must be undertaken , with the firm belief that one engaging in the act is not the doer(agent)  and without any desire for the fruit of the action.(Gita 18:6, Gita 18:17) The person doing the act must consider that he is just an instrument, forced to making the movements due to the gunas inherent in him, and whatever be the outcome(fruits) of his action/ movement  done  with detachment (without likes or dislikes), he will accept it with equanimity.  In this deliberate manner, he makes the resolve that all his movements/actions will be done in equipoise, so that the negative effects of his karmas will wear away, paving the way for clarity of the intellect. In the Gita, since one is ‘naturally’ forced to do work, either by way of mind(manas), word (vak) ,or body, do it in such a manner that it will ultimately ‘rub-off’ all work of the individual.

Our Indian Civilization, wishes all people bliss or beatitude, and we had the perfect understanding that  this CANNOT be achieved through karma or works. In fact karma stands in the way of blissfulness. Karma is performed not only with the body and limbs, but also with words(sound)  and mind.(Gita 18:15)  Even dreaming is a karma, getting angry is a karma !!. If karma itself stands in the way of bliss, it is as clear as daylight that improving the material conditions  (which themselves are the products of karma)in any way is also not going to help. Karma itself is considered as inert(jada), and attachment to jada will only immerse one in unhappiness. The Gita considers attainment of  jnana as the most desirable karma, which will enable one to transcend all karmas, and  to instill the ultimate realization that this universe is similar to the mirage in the desert. Therefore nothing ,- a thing or event or person ,can cause unhappiness  to such a realized and experiencing soul.

A careful study of the Gita will  compel one to realize that the Western civilization stands for  and propagates what the Gita considers as obstacles , preventing the attainment of perfect happiness  by men. Eg. Gita 16:8. Since it is clear that the West is in the dark about the intricacies of karma/work/movement/action, it will be suicidal as well as debasing to follow Western ideas in  management , production and distribution of material resources. Especially Indians, whose condition is like that of a person carrying a priceless gem , but unaware of it and searching for it under a pile of garbage  !!!!

HINDU STATE OF TRAVANCORE -Case-study

An excellent case study of Protestant ethic vis-à-vis Indian/Hindu work ethic can be done , taking into account the wealth hidden away in the vaults of the Sri Padmanabhaswamy Temple, by the Hindu kings of Travancore. (Protestantism in the beginning of 1500’s and Kingdom of Travancore 1730) It is said that the Travancore kings had two treasury, in addition to the wealth stashed away at the temple. One treasury was personal, and the other belonged to the State. The Travancore kings did not consider it fit to multiply their  wealth,  by investing in other ventures, with the help of the colonizers. Neither  did they engage in  luxurious  pursuits, like buying an island in the Atlantic or Pacific oceans, owning  jets or yachts etc.  With the kind of wealth they possessed, anything could be theirs on their bidding. 




No comments:

Post a Comment