Final answer:
Protestant Christian values, specifically the Protestant work ethic theorized by Max Weber, were frequently used to rationalize business success during the industrial revolution by encouraging hard work and frugality, essential traits for capitalist growth.
Step-by-step explanation:
Values of Protestant Christianity were often used to justify business success during the industrial revolution.
Max Weber's concept of the Protestant work ethic posits that values held by Protestants, including the emphasis on hard work and savings, played a significant role in the development and rise of capitalism, particularly during the industrial era.
This ethic encouraged individuals to strive for personal gain and material success, which in turn fueled economic development and capitalist enterprises.
Weber found that in societies where Protestantism was prevalent, such as the Netherlands, England, Scotland, and Germany, capitalist development was most advanced.
According to Weber, certain kinds of Protestantism supported the pursuit of material gain by motivating believers to work diligently, achieve success, and avoid spending their gains on non-essential items, thereby reinforcing capitalist growth.