Sociological Analysis of Work Ethic, Rentiary Spirit of Capitalism, and Economic Behavior (A Study in the Economic Enterprises of Ardabil Province)

Authors

1 Department of Development Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

3 Department of Sociology, Faculty of Literature and Human Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran. Iran

10.22059/jrd.2025.396767.668928

Abstract

This study adopts a critical approach to analyzing prevailing theories of work ethics in Iran and introduces the concept of the "Rentenocratic Capitalist Spirit" as an innovative framework for understanding the political economy within the context of local development. Based on a synthesis of Boltanski’s theory of "value economies" and the theory of renteocracy, the research reveals that economic behavior in Iranian enterprises primarily operates within a "rentiocratic-relational justification system," where rent-seeking tendencies, reliance on social networks, and group-based logic dominate. Quantitative data collected from a survey of 283 workers, alongside qualitative interviews with managers of nine factories across public, private, and family-owned sectors in Ardabil, indicate that although work ethics in family businesses are slightly higher, the differences are not statistically significant. The findings highlight that the mentality of rentierism and dependence on social and relational networks are pervasive across all sectors, profoundly influencing economic behaviors. Key concepts from Boltanski, such as "justice," "security," and "motivation," are interpreted in Iran as values rooted in rentier and group-based logic, reflecting the internal rationale of the Rentocratic Capitalist Spirit. Consequently, the study emphasizes the need to move beyond imported frameworks—such as the Protestant work ethic—that emphasize individualism and hard work, arguing that analyzing underdevelopment requires an understanding of the internal logic of the "Rentocratic Spirit" as a pathology. This indigenous, critical framework can reveal the contradictions between global theories of development and Iran’s economic realities, offering a foundation for context-specific strategies aimed at sustainable development that are rooted in local social and economic dynamics.

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