THE CHANGING PROTESTANT ETHIC: RURAL PATTERNS IN HEALTH, WORK, AND LEISURE

Individualism, asceticism & work as a calling productive of rational econ behavior are all elements of the value system Max Weber called the 'Protestant Ethic.' The investigation described in his paper is concerned with the extent to which this system of values is still operative, though altered, among a pop of Midwestern farmers, & its influence in matters of health, work behavior & leisure. High-work orientation was found to be related to individualism & asceticism but no longer productive of systematic, rational, econ behavior. AA.