Editing Max Weber (section)

====''The Religion of China''====
{{Main|The Religion of China}}

In ''The Religion of China: Confucianism and Taoism'', Weber focused on those aspects of Chinese society that were different from those of Western Europe, especially those aspects that contrasted with [[Puritans#Beliefs|Puritanism]]. As part of that, he questioned why capitalism had not developed in China.{{sfnm|1a1=Bendix|1a2=Roth|1y=1977|1pp=114–116|2a1=Radkau|2y=2009|2pp=477–478|3a1=Whimster|3y=2007|3pp=134–135, 212}} He focused on the issues of Chinese urban development, Chinese [[patrimonialism]] and officialdom and [[Religion in China|Chinese religion]] and [[Chinese philosophy|philosophy]]{{snd}}primarily [[Confucianism]] and [[Taoism]]{{snd}}as the areas in which Chinese development significantly differed from the European route.{{sfnm|1a1=Bendix|1a2=Roth|1y=1977|1pp=98–99|2a1=Schluchter|2y=2014|2pp=12–13}} According to Weber, Confucianism and Puritanism were superficially similar, but were actually largely different from one another.{{sfnm|1a1=Bendix|1a2=Roth|1y=1977|1pp=135–141|2a1=Whimster|2y=2007|2pp=134–135|3a1=Schluchter|3y=2014|3p=19}} Instead, they were mutually exclusive types of [[Rationalization (sociology)|rational thought]], each attempting to prescribe a way of life based on religious dogma.{{sfnm|1a1=Bendix|1a2=Roth|1y=1977|1pp=135–141|2a1=Schluchter|2y=2014|2p=19}} Notably, they both valued self-control and restraint and did not oppose accumulation of wealth. However, both of those qualities were simply means to different final goals.{{sfnm|1a1=Ritzer|1y=2009|1pp=37–38|2a1=Bendix|2a2=Roth|2y=1977|2pp=135–141}} Confucianism's goal was "a cultured status position", while Puritanism's goal was to create individuals who were "tools of God". According to Weber, the Puritans sought rational control of the world and rejected its irrationality while Confucians sought rational acceptance of that state of affairs.{{sfnm|1a1=Bendix|1a2=Roth|1y=1977|1pp=135–141|2a1=Schluchter|2y=2014|2p=19|3a1=Whimster|3y=2007|3p=188}} Therefore, he stated that it was the difference in social attitudes and mentality, shaped by the respective dominant religions, that contributed to the development of capitalism in the West and the absence of it in China.{{sfnm|1a1=Bendix|1a2=Roth|1y=1977|1pp=135–141|2a1=Schluchter|2y=2014|2pp=23–25}}