Marxism

Question 1

What perspective do Marists view religion?

Answer 1

Conflict perspective - view religion as reinforcing social conflict through the creation of ideology, which legitimises the economic relations of capitalism.

Question 2

Karl Marx

Answer 2

Sees religion as the ‘opium of the people’ and believes it reproduces a false class consciousness

Question 3

Opium of the people

Answer 3

Working class are both distracted by religion and taught by religion not to question their position

Question 4

False class consciousness

Answer 4

Through creating and spreading bourgeois views and making them universal it convinces the proletariat to accept inequality

Question 5

Religion is the superstructure of capitalism

Answer 5

• suggests inequality is god given and therefore unchangeable
• teaches the poor that their poverty is a test from god and they will be rewarded in the afterlife

Question 6

Engles

Answer 6

Claims socialism and Christianity have some similar features. Both ideologies target the poor and have a promise of a better life. The only difference is socialism promises a difference in this life whereas Christianity promises a better life in the after life - therefore they see religion as preventing real change from happening

Question 7

Norris and Ingleheart (2004) study

Answer 7

They believe that people who are poorer are more likely to be religious as they lack comfort in their social status and therefore it is fulfilled by religion - they suggest this may be why America is mor religious than England as they have a lack of health care system

Question 8

Critics of the Marxist view

Answer 8

Some sociologists argue that society has become more secular and therefore question the influence that religion can have on exploiting the poor