Marxist concept 3: religion is a product of alienation

Question 1

Feeling a sense of alienation

Answer 1

Marx notes that in a capitalist society, working people feel a sense of alienation, people in such a position are more likely to then turn religion as a source of confort

Question 2

Opium of the people

Answer 2

Those in deseparate situations consume religion in a drug like way + distracting them, this benefits capitalism as there sense of reality is disorted by religion, less likely to challenge the unfairness of the situation

Question 3

Evaluation: Nature of jobs

Answer 3

Nature of jobs now changed so this function may no longer be applicable to modern society

Question 4

Evaluation: Russia

Answer 4

In Russia when they become communist many people were kept in poverty and life did not improve, so therefore exploitation still existed

Question 5

Evaluation: peoples lives

Answer 5

Ignores the positives that religion can have in peoples lives