Marx attributed the rise of capitalism to the fall feudal society and the rise of the bourgeoisie. During this time there was an increase in the population, which caused the demand for specialized goods to grow making the traditional mode of production "no longer sufficed for the growing want of the market (Marx, 474)." Division of labor was then implemented on massive scales to satisfy those needs, which created a surplus and turned necessities into commodities. This change in the mode of production from guilds to giant manufactures is what brought about the rise of capitalism according to Marx.
Weber also made these same observations, but attributed the rise of capitalism to the religious discipline of the Protestant faith. He believed there was a correlation between Protestantism and capitalism. It must be understood that these people lived during a time of uncertainty, so what ever made them feel secure about the future they usually invested into. A central theme in Protestantism is the belief of the calling, or one's duty. It is "the fulfillment of (one's) duty in worldly affairs as the highest form of moral activity (Weber, 80)." This particular Protestant ethic inspired its disciples to work hard and save money because God would look favorable upon them, which ultimately led to a surplus creating a division of labor and then a strong middle class. The calling according to Weber is the "most characteristic of the social ethic of capital culture, and in a sense the fundamental basis of it (Weber, 54)." Unlike Weber, Marx never makes a correlation between religion and capitalism because he believed people were driven by their material conditions, which would intern create religion.
Marx and Weber's views on the origin of capitalism are strikingly different, but their views on the dynamics caused by capitalism are very similar. They both have an interesting vision on the effect capitalism will have on the human spirit.
