Re: Deleuze-Guattari

[Wojtek Sokolowski <sokol@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

At 07:26 PM 10/7/97 -0400, Louis Proyect wrote:

l
>Mann is a "neo-Weberian" supposedly who also finds Marx useful. Max Weber
>tried to explain the growth of capitalism as a consequence of the
>"Protestant ethic".


Another minor comment: I do not think it is an accurate reflection of
Weber's argument; he argued for the existence of 'elective affinity' between
protestant ethic and the interest of the mercantile class; in other words:
protestantism gained popularity because it was appealing to the class
gaining substantial economic power, and then it was used as the means to
legitimate the interests of that class.

This is an essentially materialist argument that breaks with a rather
mechanistic interpretation of the relationship between economy and culture
without falling into an idealistic trap -- economy is not a consequence of
mental phenomena (protestant ethic, rat-choice and what not).

regards,
wojtek sokolowski
institute for policy studies
johns hopkins university
baltimore, md 21218
sokol@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
voice: (410) 516-4056
fax:   (410) 516-8233

POLITICS IS THE SHADOW CAST ON SOCIETY BY BIG BUSINESS. AND AS LONG AS THIS
IS SO, THE ATTENUATI0N OF THE SHADOW WILL NOT CHANGE THE SUBSTANCE.
- John Dewey