In the Protestant ethics of the Calvinists and Puritans, things were exactly the opposite. Saving money and investing it rationally was seen as an almost religious duty. It was part of the overall religious project of exercising restraint and rational behaviour in all fields of life. In Catholic countries it was alright to be draped in scarlet velvet, but wrong to be proud of your riches. And if you achieved your wealth through business alone, without having any political power, you’d still have to know your place.
