Communism and religion

Created by: eloise.wroe01
Created on: 12-04-19 18:35

What did Lenin and most Marxist revolutionaries of his generation think about Marx and religion?

They believed that Marx was an enemy of religion= 'the opium of the masses'. Thus Lenin and other Marxist radicals believed that their revolution would liberate working people from capitalist exploitation and from the delusions of religion.

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Why was Lenin critical of the Russian Orthodox Church?

It was the dominant organised religion in Russia. For Lenin, it was an essentially ally of the Tsar. It was also an extremely rich institution-some priests led lives of privilege while working people were poor.

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Why was the new Communist Government suspicious of organised religion?

2 reasons- religions stood for values that were sometimes opposed to communist values, and because religious groups were organisations that were independent of the communist government and could organise opposition against the gov.

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What religious groups were there in the Soviet Union?

Muslim communities in Central Asia, North Caucasus and Azerbaijan. Lithuania had a large Roman Catholic Community. Significant Baptist minority in the Ukraine. Religious policies changed as the leadership changed

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What two motives did Lenin's early religious policies reflect?

A commitment to legal equality as

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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Why was Lenin critical of the Russian Orthodox Church?

Back

Card 3

Front

Why was the new Communist Government suspicious of organised religion?

Back

Card 4

Front

What religious groups were there in the Soviet Union?

Back

Card 5

Front

What two motives did Lenin's early religious policies reflect?

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Communism and religion