Marxist points Flashcards
acted as a form of consolation to people
It acted as a form of consolation to people, keeping them happy in their impoverished positions. He called religion ‘the opiate of the people’.
It is an illusion which eases the pain produced by exploitation and oppression. In Marx’s words, ‘Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the sentiment of a heartless world and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people.’ It does little to solve problems because it helps to make life more bearable and therefore reduces working class demands for change.
justified the status quo
Religion justified the status quo by suggesting the social world was created by God e.g. the ruling class was in power according to God’s will. In the following verse from the Victorian hymn ‘All things bright and beautiful’, God can be seen as creating the social structure
According to this hymn the hierarchy of the stratification system appears inevitable and not the fault of the ruling class.
Such myths justify and make legitimate the subordination of the subject class and the domination and privilege of the ruling class.
Religion stresses the virtues of poverty and deprivation
working class demands for material goods are due to greed rather than social justice. In this way religion is said to be a kind of ‘spiritual gin’ (Lenin) as it stupefies its followers rather than bringing them true happiness on earth.
Suffering is made a virtue: “It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven”. Religion makes poverty more tolerable.
status quo
As justice and rewards would be given in the afterlife the status quo of society need not be disturbed. This makes life on earth more bearable as people have heaven to look forward to. In this way religion provides a distortion of reality and creates a false consciousness amongst the working class. Religion also diverts people’s attention away from the real source of their oppression ie capitalists.
status quo
As justice and rewards would be given in the afterlife the status quo of society need not be disturbed. This makes life on earth more bearable as people have heaven to look forward to. In this way religion provides a distortion of reality and creates a false consciousness amongst the working class. Religion also diverts people’s attention away from the real source of their oppression ie capitalists.
close links between the ruling class and religion
The rich give financial backing to religious groups and in return they receive support for their privileged position in society.
History provides evidence of the links between the ruling class and religion; from the ‘Divine Right’ of medieval monarchs that justified their power to the Victorian values of hard work and thrift
Steve Bruce in the USA, he found conservative Protestants of the ‘New Christian Right’ support right wing politicians of the Republican Party and seek to protect the interests of the rich and powerful. President Bush has also used Christianity to justify his invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan by saying he was on a mission of ‘good’ over ‘evil’.
