Traditional Marxism Flashcards
Summary (2)
Religion is an ISA- reproduces and legitimates the capitalist system, conservative force
Marx on religion
Religion is man made to perform some function in society- maintains class divisions
Marx 2 ideological functions
- r/c ‘instrument of oppression’- justifies inequality
2. w/c ‘cushion the effects of oppression’
‘Opium of the people’
Religion is used by w/c like a drug to ease the pain of oppression- it masks the oppression resulting in FCC
Lenin
‘spiritual gin’- religion is a form of escapism which numbs and blinds people’s awareness to reality
Leach (2)
Church of England supports r/c and does little to reduce inequality. 80% of bishops attended Oxbridge
Positive evaluation
Recognises that religion plays a role in shaping FCC by controlling ideas of w/c
Criticisms (2)
Functionalists might say they ignore the positive functions of religion like social solidarity, value consensus etc
Marx predicted in communist societies religion would disappear as there’s no FCC however religiosity carried on in Soviet Union indicating it fulfils other functions