Religion

Why the West got rich and the Middle East did not

By Jared Rubin*

Today’s rulers of the three largest Middle Eastern economies all look to religious authorities as a key source of legitimacy. Drawing on a broad sweep of historical analysis, this column explores what this might mean for the region’s economic future. One notable danger...

On the Economic Effects of (Christian) Religions

By Jens Prüfer

The economic consequences of Christian doctrines have gained great attention since at least Max Weber's “work ethic” hypothesis, that the Protestant Reformation was instrumental in facilitating industrial capitalism - and economic prosperity with it - in Western Europe (...