Religion and the Rise of Capitalism

A classic of political economy that traces the influence of religious thought on capitalism

In one of the true classics of twentieth-century political economy, R. H. Tawney investigates the way religion has moulded social and economic practice. He tracks the influence of religious thought on capitalist economy and ideology since the Middle Ages, shedding light on the question of why Christianity continues to exert a unique role in the marketplace. The book offers an incisive analysis of the morals and mores of contemporary Western culture.

In tough, muscular, richly varied prose, Tawney tells an absorbing and meaningful story. Today, the dividing line between the spheres of religion and the secular is shifting, and Religion and the Rise of Capitalism is more pertinent than ever.“It is difficult to disagree with the humanity of his arguments.”
—Raymond Williams

“Tawney [is] part of a tradition that gives us hope and vitality, and charts a way out of the trap of orthodoxy. Now is the time for that tradition to be rediscovered.”
—Jon Cruddas, New Statesman

“Often admired but now rarely consulted, Tawney’s work deserves a spiritual revival.”
—Eugene McCarraher

“A delightful piece of literature, as well as an authentic and scholarly treatise.”
—Atlantic MonthlyR. H. Tawney (1880–1962) was an English economic historian, social critic, ethical socialist, Christian socialist and an important proponent of adult education.