In Honour of Max Weber

Max Weber would be glad, if he could observe the present economical crisis in Europe. The countries worst hit by it are Mediterranean and in non-Protestant. In a sense, Ireland too: even botanically, a part of Ireland belongs to the mediterranean area with its arbutus and palm trees. And there is definitely not that much of Protestant ethic and spirit of Capitalism in the South of Europe. Thus, we can ask whether the model of Capitalism that the West has more or less officially adopted, is really the best economic model for all nations and cultures. Maybe the EU is doomed, and the real reasons of this is not the fact that some politicians in Greece, Portugal or Ireland didn't do their job well, but that they simply did what their electorate, their people, their culture prescribed them to do. Now, the IMF and the Protestant Europe want them to change their behaviour. But doesn't it mean that some nations must change their whole culture? Is it possible? It reminds me of the endless talk of the Soviet ideologues about the need to educate people, to "create a new Soviet man". Well, we know the result. Will the Protestantic attempt to re-educate the Mediterraneans, the Southern Catholics and Orthodox be more successful?