marxism Flashcards
What do Marxists view religion as?
negative, controlling force, detrimental to the working-class masses (proletariats)
Religion as an ideological apparatus
used as a weapon by the ruling class to legitimate the suffering of the poor as inevitable or ‘god given’
Primary purposes of religion
-enforce social control of the proletariat
-cushion the effects of oppression
What will people become alienated from in a capitalist economic system?
-the products they produce
-their fellow human beings
Alienation
involves become separated from losing control over something, that one has produced or created
-people do not just feel alienated, they are alienated
-experienced by all classes in society
-people seek to relieve alienation and experience a sense of belonging-> religion provides a FALSE sense of belonging
How is the Hindu caste system evidence to support Marx’s theory?
-justifies social inequality
-The caste is a system of social stratification based on ascribed status
-marriage between castes is forbidden
-the doctrines of karma and reincarnation serves to maintain inequality by assuring those at the bottom of the caste system that their obedience( to rules of the caste) will be rewarded
‘The opium of people’
-blinds people to the true extent of their exploitation and real interests- helps the Bourgeoisie to maintain ruling class power
-makes life bearable for the proletariat by diluting the pain of oppression but does little to solve the issue- creates an illusory happiness
-also dilutes the proletariats demand for change as a result
What are the two ways that the ideology of religion operates?
-disguises the true nature of oppression
-keeps the working class passive and resigned to their fate whilst providing compensation in the afterlife
Ways in which religion might disguise the true nature of oppression
-by hymns that legitimise the class inequality and dependency of the proletariat e.g. ‘All things bright and beautiful’
-existing hierarchy= god-given and unchangeable
-explains economic and social inequalities as the will of God or personal sin so real causes of inequality = obscured and distorted
Ways in which the working class are kept passive
e.g. caste system
e.g. 10 commandments
-religion makes a virtue of the suffering produced by oppression
-Offers the hope of supernatural divine intervention
-offers a vision of eternal bliss in heaven that can make life on Earth more bearable by giving people something to look forward to
BUT
-The kingdom of heaven and saviour and the afterlife are a myth and offer the illusion of hope in a hopeless situation, and a promise of delayed gratification
What did Marx conclude?
-that religion must be eliminated rather than reformed, if the people that are cheap, a new political and economic existence
-Believe that religion now, as in the past supports and helps maintain the relationship between exploiter and exploited
-To create a truly free society, religion as a tie to the past must be eliminated
Strengths
-shows how religion may be a tool of oppression, that masks, exploitation, and create false consciousness
-hymns
-caste system
-explains how inequality is justified
Weaknesses
-ignores positive functions of religion, E.G.psychological adjustment to misfortune neo-Marxist, see certain forms of religion as assisting rather than hindering, the development of class consciousness.
-Some Marxists, like Althusser, reject the concept of alienation as unscientific, and based on a romantic idea, that human beings have a true self, which would make the concept an inadequate basis for a theory of religion as it underestimate peoples free will
-Religion does not necessarily function effectively as an ideology to control the population, E.G.Abercrombie, Hill, and Turner, argued in pre-capitalist society or Christianity was a major element of ruling class. Ideology only had limited impact on the peasantry. -Outdated theory.
-Doesn’t explain inequality and secular societies as they have no religious tool, so you cannot to make people believe
Complex hierarchies
May prevent revolution as there are lots of people/statuses to go through
