Curriculum Faith and the Economy
Faith and the Economy
How religion and money interact: Weber's Protestant ethic, why strict religions thrive, how big temples manage wealth, temple gold, the Kumbh Mela economy, waqf properties, interest-free banking, langar kitchens, religious giving, faith-run schools and hospitals, and temple corridors.
- Max Weber and the Protestant Ethic How sociologist Max Weber linked Protestant beliefs to the rise of capitalism, what later research found, and why the idea is still debated. 📄 Read-aloud
- Why Strict Religions Thrive: The Club Model How economist Laurence Iannaccone explained why demanding religious groups can grow, using the idea of club goods and free riders. 📄 Read-aloud
- How Big Temples Manage Their Money How India's richest temples like Tirumala earn and spend huge sums, who manages them, and debates over government control of temple funds. 📄 Read-aloud
- Temple Gold and Gold Monetisation Why Indian temples hold large amounts of gold, why this gold sits idle, and how the Gold Monetisation Scheme tried to put it to work. 📄 Read-aloud
- The Kumbh Mela Economy How the Kumbh Mela, one of the world's largest gatherings, creates a temporary city, generates huge spending and challenges planners. 📄 Read-aloud
- Waqf Properties and Their Management What waqf endowments are, how much land waqf boards hold in India, why management has been criticised, and the 2025 changes to the law. 📄 Read-aloud
- Faith and the Economy: Checkpoint 1 Quick checkpoint - five questions on Weber, the club model, temple finances, temple gold and the Kumbh Mela. 5 questions
- Interest-Free Banking and India How Islamic finance avoids interest through profit sharing and leasing, why India has no Islamic banks, and how some products operate within Indian rules. 📄 Read-aloud
- Langar: Feeding Millions Every Day How Sikh gurudwaras run free community kitchens that serve anyone, how they are funded and staffed by volunteers, and what they show about non-market provision. 📄 Read-aloud
- Daan, Zakat and Dasvandh: Religious Giving in India How different religious traditions encourage giving, how much Indians give through religious channels, and how this compares with other charity. 📄 Read-aloud
- Religious Institutions in Schools and Healthcare How religious organisations run many of India's schools, colleges and hospitals, why they became major service providers, and the debates around them. 📄 Read-aloud
- Temple Corridors and Religious Tourism Investment How projects like the Kashi Vishwanath corridor and Ayodhya's Ram temple are transforming religious tourism, and the trade-offs of large redevelopment. 📄 Read-aloud
- Faith and the Economy: Recap What economics can and cannot say about religion, and a summary of the module. 📄 Read-aloud