Abstract

Since M. Weber and E. Troeltsch, much has been published on real or perceived differences between Catholic and Protestant countries concerning ethical matters, especially in a context of rising capitalism supposedly promoted by Calvinism. Yet, large scale sociological studies were lacking. Even now, when such studies are possible, they treat opinions and seldom behavior; many studies show that there can be serious differences between these two groups. This article analyzes possible agreements and differences in opinions concerning ethics using the results of the 1990 value study carried out by the “European Values Study” Foundation. We limit ourselves here to ten Western European countries.Some references are made to Switzerland where an EVS type survey was taken in 1988-89, as well as to some Northern European countries that are nearly exclusively Lutheran. The EVS has stimulated similar studies in Bulgaria, Rumania, and Greece. When the data from this last country become available, a comparison with the ethical attitudes of the Orthodox world will also be possible. Even now we note great differences between Rumania and Bulgaria, which indicates that the ‘Orthodox Religion’ factor cannot be the only explanation. The EVS study asked the respondents about their church religious affiliation; the answers to this question were used as the distinguishing criterium. It is of course an over simplification to refer to the Catholics and the Protestants. The Irish and the Portuguese differ greatly in their respective histories. Anglican, Lutheran and Reformed Protestants are equally difficult to categorize under one heading.6 Nevertheless, we will have to be content with rough generalizations.Yet, at some time, the large number of interviews offer sufficient material to indicate certain differences between Protestants and Catholics. Of course, the question remains whether the observed differences are to be attributed mainly to the differing religious affiliations or to the differences in the long background histories and in the socio-economic contexts of the countries. The whole study shows that the sociocultural background is a more important explicative variable for elucidating the differences than age is, however determinative this latter may be.