What Are The Main Strengths And Weaknesses Of The Rational Choice Approach To

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Term Paper Title	What Are The Main Strengths And Weaknesses Of The Rational Choice Approach To
# of Words	1659
# of Pages (250 words per page double spaced)	6.64

What Are The Main Strengths and Weaknesses of The Rational Choice Approach To
Religions Behavior?

What Are The Main Strengths and Weaknesses of The Rational Choice Approach To
Religions Behavior?

     One of the pioneers of the rational choice theory has been Gary Becker.
He states that this approach can be applied to all human behaviour, including
religion.  This approach has three assumptions. It assumes that people engage in
maximising behaviour.  When applying this approach to religion we are not
concerned with money.  We are concerned with the maximisation of personal
benefits.  When we make a decision we weigh up the costs and benefits and choose
the option which offers the most benefit.  Secondly, there are ‘markets that
with varying degrees of efficiency allow the actions of different participants
to function together efficiently.'  Thirdly, prices and other market functions
can affect demand and supply, controlling desires and affecting the actions of
consumers.  Becker explains that price is not described in money terms but as a
shadow price. For example, muslims cannot drink alcohol.
     This approach involves four theorems.  Firstly, a rise in price reduces
the quantity demanded.  The example he gives is if people have to put more time
and effort into having children then less people will do so.  Secondly, a rise
in price increases the quantity supplied, the example given is women in the
labour market.  Thirdly, competitive markets are more efficient then
monopolistic markets and lead to the diversity of a product.  Fourthly, a tax on
the output of a market reduces that output eg the punishment of criminals is a
tax on crime.
     Finke and Iannaccone have applied this theory to religious behaviour and
understand that the high degree of religion in America is attributed to the
existence of a free market and therefore competition and diversification in
religion.  Finke argues that in a free market start up costs are low and this
leads to new ideas and more diversity and therefore more chance of everyone
finding a religion they like.  Also in a competitive free market earning a
living acts as an incentive to clergy to work harder and try to tailor their
religion to suit the demands of the consumer.  He also suggests that state
monopolies are less efficient in the absence of competition and believes that
state churches would therefore allow high costs.
     Bruce highlights some weaknesses of this theory.  He states that the
early Christian church had very hi...

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