ASSES THE VIEW THAT RELIGION INHIBITS SOCIAL CHANGE
af Sophie Canning
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1. MANY SOCIOLGICAL THEORIES SEE RELIGION AS A CONSERVATIVE FORCE WHICH MAINTAINS THE STATUS QUO
1.2. HOWEVER- WEBER AND NEO MARXISTS- AT CERTAIN TIMES AND PLACES, RELIGION IS A RADICAL FORCE HELPING SOCIETY
2. MADURO
2.1. CATHOLIC PREISTS IN SOUTH AMERICA 60'S FOUGHT AGAINST DICTATORSHIP, POVERTY AND EXPLOITATION
2.2. THROUGH A DOCTRINE MIXING TEACHINGS OF COMMUNISM AND CATHLOCISM CALLED LIBERATION THEOLOGY, PRIESTS ENCOURAGED THE POOR TO OVERTHROW GOVERNMENTS
2.3. LIBERATION THEOLOGY SOUGHT TO PORTRAY THE PRIEST AS A REFORMING LEADER MORE THAN A PASSIVE PEACE MAKER
3. WEBER
3.1. HIS WORK FOCUSES ON HOW RELIGIOUS IDEAS CAN INFLUENCE SOCIAL CHANGE. HIS STUDY 'THE PROTESTANT ETHIC AND THE SPIRIT OF CAPITALISM', HE DESCRIBED HOW CALVINISM HELPED TO BRING ABOUT CAPITALISM
3.2. IN SOME COUNTRIES AT SOME POINT IN HISTORY THE MATERIAL CONDITIONS FOR CAPITALISM WERE PRESENT BUT NEVER ACTUALLY GOT OFF THE GROUND
3.2.1. Employee