R815thand16th

8. The diffusion of new intellectual concepts among different social groups Dutch Calvinism regarded God as ruler over all and believed in predestination- at birth it was already decided by God whether a person would be granted salvation in the afterlife or not. Followers did not see this as a downside of life but rather focused on the good. Calvinists reformed the church greatly. Dutch Calvinists took teachings of God very seriously and intermixed them with business practices. Hard work and dedication were the basic tenants of Dutch Calvinist business principles. Their strong work ethic led to the common practice of Dutch merchants and capitalists hiring Dutch Calivinsts with obvious preferrance. This also led to the strengthening of the Dutch economy.

McKay, John P. __A History of Western Society__. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2003