Válság után: Vissza a protestáns etikához?
After the Crisis: Back to the Protestant Ethic?

Summary/Abstract: In this essay the emerging and not yet clearly defined crisis is explained with a change in mental processes. The Weberian model of „sparing capitalism” has been partly replaced by „borrowing capitalism”: though at the workplaces the Weberian protestant ethic has still remained dominant, it is exactly its opposite which is required outside the work hours, in the sphere of consumption. Crises usually contribute to sweeping changes in mental processes; however, at this time, the new direction is not yet clear. What is already visible is the fury of the apathic, but easily mobilizable masses, hunting for the responsible ones. However, the recently dominant mentality is not only the characteristic of the entrepreneurs, of the financial world and of the politicians, it is a societal feature. The essay argues that after a long crisis period a long-lasting recovery will come with the necessary changes, namely with a new relation towards time. Short-term thinking should be replaced with middle-term planning both in the case of entrepreneurs and politicians. The former could result in the growing importance of stakeholders, while the latter could contribute to the reemergence of the welfare state in a financially more sustainable form. We cannot and we should not turn back for „sparing capitalism”, we should create a „resposnible capitalism”.

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