Protestant countries have higher employment rates than non-Protestant ones, a new study found.
The United States, the United Kingdom and Nordic countries such as Denmark, Sweden and Norway, where Protestantism is the main religion, have employment rates that are as much as six percentage points higher than countries where other religions are largely practiced.
Researchers at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom say the most likely reason for this is the Protestant virtue of hard work.
"In its early days, Protestantism promoted the virtue of hard and diligent work amongst its adherents, who judged one another by conformity to this standard," said Dr. Feldmann, a lecturer in the University’s Department of Economics & International Development.
“Originally, an intense devotion to one’s work was meant to assure oneself that one was predestined for salvation," he explained. "Although the belief in predestination did not last more than a generation or two after the Reformation, the effect on work ethics continued."
The study, based on data from 80 countries, also showed that female employment rates are about 11 percent higher in Protestant countries.
Although religion may not have a direct impact on shaping the national culture today, Feldmann noted that the impact of living in a society that has been shaped by once powerful Protestant institutions persists today.
"The Protestant virtue of hard and diligent work has become part of a national culture of the relevant countries," he said. “Today these values and norms are transmitted by educational institutions and mass media to all people living in a Protestant country."
In countries where other religions such as Catholicism, Islam and Buddhism are practiced by the larger population, Feldmann believes they developed a culture that doesn't put as high a value on hard and diligent work and is often hostile to women working.
But some say the conclusion that Protestant religion is the main cause of higher employment rates is too simplistic.
"[T]o say that Catholicism, Islam, Buddhism and other religions do not emphasize a culture of work shows a degree of ignorance about other world religions. In the Hindu tradition for instance, we say that work is worship," said Ramesh Kallidai of the Hindu Forum of Britain, according to London’s The Times.
The research, published in the American Journal of Economics and Sociology, took into account factors such as labor market regulations, business regulations and the tax burden.
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Why do people think Brazil is still a catholic country??? In my neighborhood, there are 20 pentecostal/protestant churches and 1 catholic. We have many pentecostal churches with more than 10, 20, 30 thousand members. There are today about 50 million protestants in Brazil. Catholic churches in Brazil are empty. There are about 13% of "good catholics" in Brazil.
And Brazil is no longer a "poor country". It's hard to see someone who's in their 20's and is not in college or doesn't have a degree.
That's what happens, when we turn to Jesus, he starts blessing us. If someone wants to see one of our ministries, look 4 "Diante do Trono" on Youtube.
God Bless ya'll...
Psalm 33:12
"Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance."
Its definitely may show, countries like in south america which are poor, economy and politics there are controlled by the Pope. In Asia, Phils is 80% Catholic and yet so corrupt. Korea was once a non-Christian country and when missionaries from Methodist and Presbyterian came in, Korea's economy has changed significantly among the top 3 countries in Asia and soon a world power in economy. America is dominantly a protestant country, but when latinos came in, Catholics increases its numbers, we don't know if it has something to do with the recession. Probably its more of the teachings where Protestant uses Bibles which made them God fearing followers while Catholics focus more on something else like purgatory where you can be rehabilitated for your sins after death, Thanks to Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wesley.. etc because they came in with the existence of false teachings and the absence of spiritual guidance. unlike other religion they are more on invasion and territorial, not spiritual...
LOL Protestant work ethic my foot. America has a higher percentage of Catholics than anything else, but ok, we'll go with "a protestant country" because Catholics are still constantly abused and bashed by the government. Every religious group EXCEPT Catholicism has recieved protection under hate-crime laws. If a Catholic looks wrong at a Protestant, they have to give them 5000$ A Catholic Church was vandalized, the vandals were only made to clean it up (which was NEVER done or enforced) and when a Catholic boy (10 years old) accidentally broke a pot at an Episcopalean church they had to pay 10,000 dollars for supposed hate crime, compensation, and an expensive pot that was had plants in it. The Catholic Church CAN be pushed around because our religion is formatted around non-force. Somebody will immediately scream INQUISITION INQUISITION. Yes there WAS an inquisition enacted privately, away from the church, by governments. Queen Elizabeth of England killed almost twice the number of Catholics than any combined death number in any given Inquisition. The United States government should be CATERING to Catholics. If the pope got really mad one day, he could make an announcement shutting down all Catholic schools for one year. The United states would be forced to triple school taxes for about 5 years to pay for all the schools to serve all of those children... for one year.
The USA is arguably a Protestant country. The UK, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark are post-Christian, materialist, hedonist, secularist countries. I doubt very seriously that Reformed theology has any influence whatsoever on their employment patterns. It certainly has little if any influence on their marriage and childbearing patterns (unless you count the Muslims as Reformed.)
I also forgot to mention that I like the rock group U2.Ok, enough proof.
I was actually being facetious.I have worked with some hard-working Catholics.I actually don't consider myself a Protestant as much as just a Christian.I agree that all of this splintering has only served to harm the cause of Christ.I am not advocating Anti-Catholicism in any way.One of my Christian heroes and favorite authors is the 17th century French Archbishop Francois Fenelon(at least until he got caught up in "Quietism").My apologies for being insensitive.
Hear ye...hear ye...hear ye! OK ...all you lazy, malingering, dead beat Catholics, Orthodox Christians, Jews etc., get the lead out and get a job!
Good Lord, can this bashing of Non-protestants get anymore ridiculous.? I knew I abandoned the Protestant church for a good reason. It was the nauseating tendency for Protestants to think they are the only ones here who are worthy enough to be going "THERE." Just ask one of them. Tsk...tsk...tsk.
Ah, the good old "Protestant Work Ethic".