Let us now begin to trace the influence of the Protestant work ethic on the history of political economy and public policy in Britain. This influence is largely unacknowledged, although it continues into the present. As a result, we don’t fully understand what we are doing, or why, in disputes about property rights, economic regulation, taxation, labor law, and welfare policy. Making the assumptions underlying our practices explicit affords opportunities to subject them to critical examination. In addition, excavating the history of the long-lost progressive work ethic will help us to consider whether the resources there are worth reviving and adapting to current conditions.