Not only did economics as a whole play a role in causing the trials, but the religion’s economics also played a role. Since Salem was mostly puritans, most if not all had the same religion. The main minister, Reverend Samuel Parris, therefore controlled the church that everyone went to. Reverend Samuel Parris came to Salem Village in 1689. (Franklin G. Mixon Jr., 179) Salem was considered one of the most controversial of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the people there even forced previous ministers out such as George Burroughs. (Franklin G. Mixon Jr., 180) Therefore, Reverend Parris must find a way to help himself by any means possible.
Reverend Parris was not liked by a lot of the people in Salem Village. He was viewed as a “ highly controversial and divine minister in Salem Village, hated by some and liked by others, and that he pressed hard for the persecution of the supposed witches among those he disliked.” (Reed, 191-192) This shows that not only did he support persecuting the witches, but also he basically only persecuted ones that he did not like. The ones he did not like were most probably the ones who did not support him as a preacher. Most if not all of the people that did not like Reverend Parris were all from the east side of the village. The people also were believed to be “less supportive of Reverend Parris and more amenable to social, political and economic alignment with Salem town” (Mixon Jr. & Trevino, 937). Parris then “sought to solve his difficulties in dealing with the various factions of Salem Village by using witchcraft hysteria to increase the demand for ministerial services. (King & Mixon Jr., 679) This means that Reverend Parris would then be more popular if the people that did not like him were to be somehow accused of witchcraft. He might not have done the accusing, but people that supported Reverend Parris did this to support him.
Like most early settlements and towns in the new colony, most of them were of Puritan belief. So the churches and the ministers could have some say in what happens in the colony. The ministers could then ask for things no matter how outrageous and might get what they want. Though some overstep their power so much that the people could end up resenting them and forcing them out of the job. (Franklin G. Mixon Jr., 180) So leading up to the Salem Witch Trials, the church’s economy in Salem could influence how good it could be for them to have a witch scare. Before the Salem Witch Trials “the Puritan ministers provided ministerial services as holders of a local monopoly franchise” (King & Mixon Jr., 679). This shows that the ministers were already getting paid for their services. Just imagine how much more money they could make if there was something that scared the people so much that even people who did not call for their service now did. Not only would the ministers be looked upon in a new friendlier light, but also they would be making more money for themselves.
Not only were the church and Reverend Parris in the middle of the Salem Witch Trial, but Parris’ own daughter was one of the girls that started it. It just seems pretty funny how the person who gets paid to rid of witches, his daughter was the one who started it. He could therefore influence on who could get accused of witchcraft. Even when more preachers came, Parris and all the other preachers denied anyone that said otherwise that this was not witchcraft. (Mixon Jr., 180) The ministers and the church then held control of the whole economy of the trials and get paid to do so. No one else could make more money off of the Witch Trials than the church and ministers themselves.
Reverend Parris was not liked by a lot of the people in Salem Village. He was viewed as a “ highly controversial and divine minister in Salem Village, hated by some and liked by others, and that he pressed hard for the persecution of the supposed witches among those he disliked.” (Reed, 191-192) This shows that not only did he support persecuting the witches, but also he basically only persecuted ones that he did not like. The ones he did not like were most probably the ones who did not support him as a preacher. Most if not all of the people that did not like Reverend Parris were all from the east side of the village. The people also were believed to be “less supportive of Reverend Parris and more amenable to social, political and economic alignment with Salem town” (Mixon Jr. & Trevino, 937). Parris then “sought to solve his difficulties in dealing with the various factions of Salem Village by using witchcraft hysteria to increase the demand for ministerial services. (King & Mixon Jr., 679) This means that Reverend Parris would then be more popular if the people that did not like him were to be somehow accused of witchcraft. He might not have done the accusing, but people that supported Reverend Parris did this to support him.
Like most early settlements and towns in the new colony, most of them were of Puritan belief. So the churches and the ministers could have some say in what happens in the colony. The ministers could then ask for things no matter how outrageous and might get what they want. Though some overstep their power so much that the people could end up resenting them and forcing them out of the job. (Franklin G. Mixon Jr., 180) So leading up to the Salem Witch Trials, the church’s economy in Salem could influence how good it could be for them to have a witch scare. Before the Salem Witch Trials “the Puritan ministers provided ministerial services as holders of a local monopoly franchise” (King & Mixon Jr., 679). This shows that the ministers were already getting paid for their services. Just imagine how much more money they could make if there was something that scared the people so much that even people who did not call for their service now did. Not only would the ministers be looked upon in a new friendlier light, but also they would be making more money for themselves.
Not only were the church and Reverend Parris in the middle of the Salem Witch Trial, but Parris’ own daughter was one of the girls that started it. It just seems pretty funny how the person who gets paid to rid of witches, his daughter was the one who started it. He could therefore influence on who could get accused of witchcraft. Even when more preachers came, Parris and all the other preachers denied anyone that said otherwise that this was not witchcraft. (Mixon Jr., 180) The ministers and the church then held control of the whole economy of the trials and get paid to do so. No one else could make more money off of the Witch Trials than the church and ministers themselves.
Works Cited
(1) B. Ekelund, Robert,Jr., F. Hébert Robert, and Robert D. Tollison. "An Economic Analysis of the Protestant
Reformation." Journal of Political Economy 110.3 (2002): 646-71. Print.
(2) Iannaccone, Laurence R. "Progress in the Economics of Religion." Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics
(JITE) / Zeitschrift für die gesamte Staatswissenschaft 150.4 (1994): 737-44. Print.
(3) King, Ernest W., and Franklin G. Mixon Jr. "Religiosity and the Political Economy of the Salem Witch Trials." The Social
Science Journal 47.3 (2010): 678-88. Print.
(4) Mixon, Franklin G.,Jr. "Homo Economicus and the Salem Witch Trials." Journal of Economic Education 31.2 (2000):
179. Print.
(5) Reed, Isaac. "Maximal Interpretation in Clifford Geertz and the Strong Program in Cultural Sociology: Towards a New
Epistemology." Cultural Sociology 2.2 (2008): 187-200. Print.
(1) B. Ekelund, Robert,Jr., F. Hébert Robert, and Robert D. Tollison. "An Economic Analysis of the Protestant
Reformation." Journal of Political Economy 110.3 (2002): 646-71. Print.
(2) Iannaccone, Laurence R. "Progress in the Economics of Religion." Journal of Institutional and Theoretical Economics
(JITE) / Zeitschrift für die gesamte Staatswissenschaft 150.4 (1994): 737-44. Print.
(3) King, Ernest W., and Franklin G. Mixon Jr. "Religiosity and the Political Economy of the Salem Witch Trials." The Social
Science Journal 47.3 (2010): 678-88. Print.
(4) Mixon, Franklin G.,Jr. "Homo Economicus and the Salem Witch Trials." Journal of Economic Education 31.2 (2000):
179. Print.
(5) Reed, Isaac. "Maximal Interpretation in Clifford Geertz and the Strong Program in Cultural Sociology: Towards a New
Epistemology." Cultural Sociology 2.2 (2008): 187-200. Print.