Cantinflas A Volar Joven more. Tawney was a social historian and christian socialist. He is best known for this book, though his career was wide-ranging and fascinating.

I found, while looking into his life, of his experiences going 'over the top' at the Somme and being wounded in action. An experience that no doubt helped shape his later politics and activism. Religion and the Rise of Capitalism is however not an easy read. In part this lies I suspect in its origin as a series of talks. Abnt Nbr 5413. More problematic is the author's extensive and detailed references to religious ideas, people and contemporary academic work. At times it is hard to follow his line of argument or understand, without this knowledge, the point he is making.

That said, there is much of interest in here to the reader trying to understand the development of capitalism in western Europe, particular the British Isles. Tawney begins by discussing the role of religion in the pre-capitalist, feudal world. As he explains, 'In the earlier Middle Ages it had stood for the protection of peaceful labour, for the care of the poor, the unfortunate and the oppressed - for the ideal, at least, of social solidarity against the naked force of violence and oppression.