Veblen Instinct of Workmanship pg 160-170

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 This section begins with a simultaneous causality of predation creating ownership and ownership creating predation in Veblen's mind. He says regardless of which comes first there grows with ownership a sense of differentiation between people based ons status, occupations, habits and many other characteristics.  In fact, people begin to grow in self-interest and the common interest that is exemplified by the parental bent is greatly diminished.  To the extent that any interest beyond the self exists, it is based on a false patriotism towards the flag only and not in the common good for all who reside in a community.


Again, Veblen notes that as private ownership, wealth and predation grow so too does the power of the priesthood grow as well.  Generally, in fact the warlike Goods become predominant as this helps build the myth around those who are the warrior and predatory class.  The monarch is then supported by the priesthood (and can also be brought down by the priesthood) as the monarch's actions are in line with the good of the heavens and reinforce how the people should act.


From here, Veblen spends time specifically looking at the relationship between predatory and pecuniary culture and pastoral or animal rearing peoples.  He believes that pastoral communities are more likely to become predatory and emulative.  Private ownership is more likely in these communities as it is easier to believe in magic related to animals and still be productive in an industrial sense.


Veblen takes a direct shot at religion stating that in many cases it does not advance and in fact holds back the growth of matter of fact knowledge and technology. He writes “in the barbarian culture the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. The discipline of life in such a culture, therefore, is consistently unfavorable to any technological gain” (Veblen, pg 169, 1914). He reiterates by stating that any form of government base on personal coercion will thus lack technological growth. Whether this statement holds up in today's anthropological or historical research is an interesting question but it is the view veblen held and wrote about in his time. He uses the term epigenetic for religion which refers to the idea that an envirnmental or trait impacts how your body reads a DNA sequence.  Therefore, we take Veblen to mena that religion does not change the fundamental traits of humanity but changes how human instincts are articulated in reality.


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