The Victory of Reason: How Christianity Led to Freedom, Capitalism, and Western Success

Thus did Rodney Stark, professor of social sciences at Baylor University entitle his book, published last December. In an adaptative summary published in that month's Chronicle Review Stark attempts to explain why capitalism thrived in Europe (and its descendants) and not elsewhere. Why, Stark asks, if the "material conditions needed for capitalism existed in many civilizations in various eras, including China, the Islamic world, India, Byzantium, and probably ancient Rome and Greece as well" was it that "none of those societies broke through and developed capitalism"? The answer, he contends, is that none evolved ethical visions compatible with that dynamic economic system.

By contrast, Europe's Christian dedication to reason, which was influenced by Greek philosophy, offered such an ethical vision. He writes: "While the other world religions emphasized mystery and intuition, Christianity alone embraced reason and logic as the primary guides to religious truth." He goes on to argue that "from early days, the church fathers taught that reason was the supreme gift from God and the means to progressively increase understanding of Scripture and revelation. Consequently Christianity was oriented to the future, while the other major religions asserted the superiority of the past." Incidentally, Stark treats Max Weber's thesis in The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism with disdain, treating it as conclusively refuted by the evidence that "rise of capitalism in Europe preceded the Reformation by centuries." (For a study that reaches conclusions more in line with Weber's thesis, one might consult Inglehart and Baker (2000) American Sociological Review Vol.65 p.19 - available here)

Christianity was a necessary but not a sufficient condition for the development of capitalism in Europe. Freedom from "greedy despots" was also required. On the question of "what is a just price for one's goods" Stark traces the answer to the "the immensely influential St. Albertus Magnus (1193-1280)". For Albertus Magnus, the just price is simply what "goods are worth according to the estimate of the market at the time of sale." Augustine, Aquinas, and other major theologians counselled that the state must allow private property and individual freedom to pursue virtue. (Indeed one can go back to the statement of Jesus that Christians should give unto God that which is God's, and give unto Caesar that which is Caesar's.) Christian doctrine also taught that material inequality was as nothing compared to the equality all enjoyed in the eys of God. From the seventh century, the Church in Europe articulated theological opposition to slavery and by the 11th century had ensured the demise in Europe of that dreadful institution. Free labour, thus encouraged, was central to Europe's capitalist success.

Stark's is a fascinating thesis. The immediate question that comes to mind is what (if any) implications it has for Europe in the early 21st century, so commonly referred as having reached a "post-Christian" stage of evolution.