Catholics more inclined to share wealth than Protestants, Euro central bank says

[rug]

Oct 31, 2011 16:30 EDT

Catholics are more likely to support government intervention in the economy than Protestants and also have a stronger preference for sharing wealth equally, a European Central Bank study said.

The research paper also said Max Weber’s theories about the Protestant work ethic were supported by the results of the study and that they apply more widely than thought, including in the choice of political institutions and in explaining income inequality.

“We do find Protestant municipalities to exhibit clearly higher income inequality,” the study by Christoph Batzen and Frank Betz said.

“Relative to Roman Catholicism, Reformed Protestantism has curbed preferences for redistribution and for government intervention in the economy,” it said, and added the impact of religion on income was not as significant.

http://blogs.reuters.com/faithworld/2011/10/31/catholics-more-inclined-to-share-wealth-than-protestants-euro-central-bank-says/

[Warpy]

1. Protestants have always made almost a fetish of tithing to their churches

although few actually do it. Once the money hits the church coffers, it disappears from public sight. Some churches do use it for charity. Others use it for grander buildings and buying politicians.

Catholics, on the other hand, have always been taught that direct charity, from your hand to a poorer person's hand, is superior and that charity that nobody but god knows about is the best of all.

[Taverner]

2. Well, duh. Jean Calvin vs Francis of Assisi