Marxism and Religion
- Created by: Megan
- Created on: 06-11-14 16:59
View mindmap
- Marxism and Religion
- 'The opium of the people'
- Religion is an illusion
- eases the pain produces by oppression and exploitation
- It is a series of myths that justify and legitimate the subordination of the proletariat and the domination and privilege of the bourgeoisie
- Forms the basis of ruling class ideology and false class consciousness
- Dulls the pain of oppression
- Makes life more bearable and dilutes demand for change
- 1. It promises a paradise of eternal bliss after death
- Engles - Promise of salvation from misery in the afterlife is what makes religion appealing
- Something to look forward to after death
- 2. Religions make a virtue of the suffering produced by oppression
- Virtue = Good Characteristic
- Poverty is made tolerable as you will be rewarded in the afterlife
- 3. Religion can offer the hope of supernatural intervention to solve problems on earth
- Jehovah's Witnesses live in anticipation of the day heaven descends on earth
- Prayers make you think you control your own situation a little more
- Religion is an illusion
- Social Order
- Religion justifies social order and peoples position within it
- God creates the social order
- Hymn 'All things bright and beautiful' says; "God made them high and lowly, and ordered their estate"
- In this ways social arrangements are inevitable
- Religion is an instrument of oppression
- By making unsatisfactory lives bearable, people are discouraged from attempting to change their situation
- Offers the illusion of hope in a hopeless situation
- Keeps people in their place
- Ruling class use religion to justfiy their position
- False class conciousness
- Definition: The state of not being aware of our true identity s exploited workers
- Religion diverts attention from the real source of oppression
- Evidence to support Marxism
- Caste system
- In India this was justifies by Hindu beliefs
- Medieval Europe
- Kings and Queens ruled by divine right
- Hook (1990)
- Pope has a traditional opinion on contraception, women preists and homosexuality
- This causes problems in less developed countries
- Pope has a traditional opinion on contraception, women preists and homosexuality
- Criticisms
- Fails to consider seculariasation
- The power of religion is surely undermined by the fact that less than 10% attend church regularly
- There are examples of religious movements which have brought social change and removed the ruling class
- Oscar Romero
- Tried to help the poor, asked American gov. not to send money to El Salvadors corrupt gov.
- Was a Cardinal in El Salvador and campaigned for a better life for the poor
- Caste system
- Neo-Marxism
- Maduro (1982)
- Places emphasis on the idea that religion has some independence from the bourgeoisie
- Claims religion can be revolutionary
- In Latin America Catholicism is supported by the bourgeoisie but recently catholic priests have demonstrated their freedom and criticized the bourgeoisie, whilst also acting against their interests
- Maduro (1982)
- 'The opium of the people'
Comments
No comments have yet been made