“Ye Shall Know Them by Their Fruits”: Prosperity and Institutional Religion in Europe and the Americas

Abstract

Low competitiveness is a common denominator of historically Roman Catholic countries. In contrast, historically Protestant countries generally perform better in education, social progress, and competitiveness. Jesus Christ described the true and false prophets coming on his behalf, as follows: “Ye shall know them by their fruits”. Inspired by this parable, this paper explores the relations between religious systems (‘prophets’) and social prosperity (‘fruits’). It asks how Protestantism influences prosperity as compared to Roman Catholicism in Europe and the Americas. Most empirical studies have hitherto disregarded the institutional influence of religion. Taking the work of Max Weber as their starting point, they have instead emphasised the cultural linkage between religious adherents and prosperity. This paper tests various correlational models and draws on a comprehensive conceptual framework to understand the institutional influence of religion on prosperity in Europe and the Americas. It argues that the uneven contributions of Roman Catholicism and Protestantism to prosperity are grounded in their different historical and institutional foundations and in the theologies that are pervasive in their countries of influence.

Changes in the Understanding of Religious and Cultural Components of Human Capital

“…The possibility of including a religious component in the context of human capital is controversial, which many European and American researchers of the phenomenon of human capital dispute (Paul, 2009;Stastna, 2013;Beck & Gundersen, 2016;Portilla, 2019). In the Russian cultural discourse, the concept of religious values, as a potential component of human capital, is understood as a synonym for cultural (humanist and moral) values.…”

“…An increasing number of Western scientists have investigated the correlation of religion and culture and the role of spirituality in a socio-cultural context as its creative component (Portilla, 2019). Some of them have underlined a more progressive effect of Protestantism on society's economic development compared with Catholicism.…”

“…Some of them have underlined a more progressive effect of Protestantism on society's economic development compared with Catholicism. The studies have focused on the impact of Protestant Christianity on the welfare of modern European countries and the social life of North and South America and have become more widespread (Beetham, 2018;Portilla, 2019). Hence, interest has grown in analyzing the relationship between culture and religion and their influence on each other (McCleary & Barro, 2019).…”

“…2. Five scientific papers (Beck & Gundersen, 2016;Damian et al, 2018;McCleary & Barro, 2019;Portilla, 2019) discussed the impact of religion on the economy and culture of the society. The following thesis unites them: the process of secularisation (lowering the level of religiosity) leads to the growth of the economy and welfare.…”

“…The following thesis unites them: the process of secularisation (lowering the level of religiosity) leads to the growth of the economy and welfare. In two works of this group (McCleary & Barro, 2019;Portilla, 2019), Protestantism was positioned as a decisive driving factor in this socio-economic process.…”