Protestant Influences

Michael Looft
Additional contact information
Michael Looft: Kiva Microfunds

Chapter 3 in Inspired Finance, 2014, pp 46-73 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract This chapter will focus on how Protestant forces that dramatically altered the economic and cultural landscape of Europe and the United States prior to the twentieth century have persisted and continue to influence people’s notions of wealth and the design and delivery of financial services for the poor throughout the rest of the world today. The first section will revisit the concept of the Protestant Ethic posited by sociologist Max Weber and how it has helped to shape modern America from a philanthropic perspective. The second section will look at how the principle of self-reliance found in the Protestant Ethic relates to the American dream of wealth gained primarily through entrepreneurship. The third section will touch upon the challenge of individualism on group microfinance models. The fourth and final section will present an in-depth case study examining the expansive role members of the Mormon Church have played in microfinance. By looking closely at the intellectual thought and practical work of this particular religious denomination, the chapter will demonstrate how many of the ideas of this uniquely American religion, one that has arguably embraced many principles inherent in the Protestant Ethic to a high degree, illuminate a myriad of economic issues rooted in those ideals.

Keywords: Salt Lake City; Initial Public Offering; Corporate Entrepreneurship; Protestant Ethic; Microfinance Institution (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:palchp:978-1-137-45078-4_4

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.palgrave.com/9781137450784

DOI: 10.1057/9781137450784_4

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Palgrave Macmillan Books from Palgrave Macmillan
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().