Marx on Marxism in religion
Marx believed that religion was used by the R/C as a tool of oppression. It was an
important means of ideologically controlling the majority of the population (the W/C).
Many of the W/C were uneducated and illiterate, and therefore looked to religious
clergy to teach them a religion and guide them on what God wanted from them.
Religion acted as a crucial form of social control, keeping ‘the masses’
passive and accepting of the unfair social structure.
Marx said that
Religion justified social inequality and religion was
created a false class consciousness,
‘the opium of
(e.g. the W/C were kept unaware of
how the R/C were controlling and
the masses'
manipulating them. It numbed the pain of oppression and
helped the W/C tolerate life’s hardships.
It was also called a ‘spiritual gin’ (said by Lenin).
Religion justified the social structure as ‘God’s will’. These
positions of power and wealth had been chosen by God.
Beliefs -
God chose the W/C to suffer to ‘test them’ and religion offers the
Marxism promise of an afterlife where they will be rewarded for their
suffering.
Religion therefore serves to
maintain the existing social order
and act as a conservative force.
Evaluation
- Many R/C and successful people are also religious, who do
not face suffering constantly.
- Secularisation; people are now less religious so less power and control over
people.
- People are now more educated and realise that it is capitalism that creates
the inequality, not God!
- Class structure now allows for more social mobility - no longer just W/C and
R/C.
HOWEVER…
- Lots of people are still oppressed + exploited
- Religion still serving as ideological control in certain countries.
Marx believed that religion was used by the R/C as a tool of oppression. It was an
important means of ideologically controlling the majority of the population (the W/C).
Many of the W/C were uneducated and illiterate, and therefore looked to religious
clergy to teach them a religion and guide them on what God wanted from them.
Religion acted as a crucial form of social control, keeping ‘the masses’
passive and accepting of the unfair social structure.
Marx said that
Religion justified social inequality and religion was
created a false class consciousness,
‘the opium of
(e.g. the W/C were kept unaware of
how the R/C were controlling and
the masses'
manipulating them. It numbed the pain of oppression and
helped the W/C tolerate life’s hardships.
It was also called a ‘spiritual gin’ (said by Lenin).
Religion justified the social structure as ‘God’s will’. These
positions of power and wealth had been chosen by God.
Beliefs -
God chose the W/C to suffer to ‘test them’ and religion offers the
Marxism promise of an afterlife where they will be rewarded for their
suffering.
Religion therefore serves to
maintain the existing social order
and act as a conservative force.
Evaluation
- Many R/C and successful people are also religious, who do
not face suffering constantly.
- Secularisation; people are now less religious so less power and control over
people.
- People are now more educated and realise that it is capitalism that creates
the inequality, not God!
- Class structure now allows for more social mobility - no longer just W/C and
R/C.
HOWEVER…
- Lots of people are still oppressed + exploited
- Religion still serving as ideological control in certain countries.
