ECOLOGICAL PRECONDITIONS FOR THE EMERGENCE OF CAPITALIST ACTION

Capitalism is defined as an activity pattern characterized by the acquisition of profit through exchange transactions. An ecological frame of reference based on Max Weber's study of Western capitalism is adopted. Weber advanced the postulate that capitalist activity results from orientation to a particular set of values & that the emergence of this set of values was influenced by a pre-existing congruent set of values. Accordingly, it is hyp'ed here that the emergence of capitalist activity will vary directly with the extent of competition for sustenance. Verification of this hypothesis is attempted by demonstrating that the rise of capitalist activity in Western Europe was associated with such competition, whereas in China-where capitalism did not develop -agri'al conditions did not call forth such competition. It is further hyp'ed that a diff between Western Europe & China in the type of agri'al system accounts in part for variation between these 2 areas in the development of capitalist activity. It is argued that the practice of large-scale irrigation agri is an inhibiting factor in the development of capitalist activity. Findings support the conclusion that a particular ecological pattern conditions the emergence of a particular belief system. Further res should analyze the relationship between particular forms of ecological org & the emergence of particular evaluative systems. Modified HA.