Hard Work and Self-Discipline

Date: 2015-10-07; view: 394.

American Protestantism, however, has never encouraged the idea of gaining wealth without hard work and discipline. Many scholars believe that the emphasis of Protestantism on these two values made an important contribution to the industrial growth of the United States. The Protestant view of hard work and discipline differed from the older tradition of the Catholic Church whereby the most highly valued work was that performed by priests and others whose lives were given completely to the organized church. The work and self-discipline of those whose occupations were outside the church might have been considered admirable, but not “holy”.

Protestant leaders brought about a different attitude toward work, first in Europe, and later in the New World. They viewed the work of all men – farmers, merchants and laborers – as holy. Protestants also believed that the capacity for self-discipline was a holy characteristic blessed by God. Self-discipline was often defined as the willingness to save and invest one's money rather than spend it on immediate pleasures. Protestant tradition, therefore, probably played an important part in creating a good climate for the industrial growth of the United States, which depended on hard work and willingness to save and invest money.

The belief in hard work and self-discipline in pursuit of material gain and other goals is often referred to as “the Protestant ethic”.

It is important to understand that the Protestant work ethic has had an effect far beyond influencing only the members of the Protestant Churches. Members of all the many religious groups found in the United States share much of what is called the Protestant ethic. Americans who have no attachment to a particular church, Protestant or Catholic, have still been influenced by the Protestant ethic in their daily lives.