Marxist & Neo Marxist Flashcards
What does Marx believe religion is
A social construction created to maintain capitalism
What is religion
A conservative force
To prevent social change
What are the two main functions of religion according to Marx
It acted as the opium of the people, cushioning the pain of oppression and exploitation in unequal societies
It maintained the power of the ruling class
What did Marx say about the “opium of people”
Religion acts as a hallucinatory
Creates illusions among the oppressed
Maintains the dominant class
How does religion ease oppression
Promises an eventual escape from oppression with the after life
Acts as a supernatural intervention, keep praying and things will get better
Praise to god = justification of the hierarchy
What did Lenin believe about religion
Religion distracts the proletariat
Acts as a spiritual gin in which people take to distract themselves from their lives
The ruling class use religion to manipulate the masses keeps them from attempting to overthrow the oppressors, create a “mystical fog” to distort their reality
What does Althusser believe
Ideological state apparatus = transmits values of ruling class to society
Teaches the hierarchy which is apart of gods plan to have respect for authority
What is the repressive state apparatus and how is it related to religion
Transmits ruling class ideology through force and power
Threatens them not to be sent to heaven, laws are based on religious rules
How does the crowning of the monarch in church support the Marxist theory
The power the king is given is from god
King signs all laws that are given by god
How does the justification of slavery support the Marxist theory
Slave owners clame slaves are not Christian, so they are okay ti use
Justified on religious grounds
God has agreed that it is okay
How does the Hindu Caste System support the Marxist theory
No social mobility
Born and stay in the caste
What god though was meant to put
God put individuals in their position
What is are the challenges to Marxist theory of religion
There are new religious movements, mix together more than one type of religion
Religion is more about your own spiritual journey (social action)
Ignore all positives eg social solidarity (functionalists)
Who is Turner
Neo Marxist
Criticises Marxism
What does turner believe
Répressive control = uses physical force eg going on strike but the police prevent it
Cooperations, multiple people work together, can’t pinpoint a person who is in charge, workers have shared in businesses so they are not oppressed
Secularisation a lot more people are no longer religious = irrelevant
What does Marcuse believe (neo Marxist)
Believes that the “gods of consumerism” have replaced religious gods
