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How Marx viewed the role of religion: Is religion really the opium of the people?
Karl Marx, the 19th-century German philosopher and founder and main theorist of Marxism, viewed religion as "the soul of soulless conditions" or "the opium of the people." In Marx's view, religion is a manifestation of pain in an exploitative world and also a protest against real pain. Thus, religion survives because of oppressive social conditions; when these oppressive and exploitative conditions are eliminated, religion will no longer be necessary. Marx saw religion as a struggle of the working class against their poor economic conditions and sense of alienation.
"Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, the soul of a soulless condition."
In his analysis of modern religion, Marx controversially argued that all modern religions and churches are "organs of bourgeois reaction" whose purpose is to "exploit and paralyze the working class." In the 20th century, several Marxist-Leninist regimes, such as the Soviet Union and Mao Zedong's China, adopted a policy of state atheism to suppress religion.
Marx and Engels' views on religion
Marx's views on religion have sparked a wide range of interpretations. In his 1843 Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Law, Marx clearly stated:
"Religion is created by man, but man is not created by religion."
This sentence emphasizes the dominant position of human beings themselves. He believes that religion is a reflection of the world and an illusion of human beings when facing real difficulties. This view of Marx implies that the struggle against religion is actually a criticism of beliefs in the real world.
Lenin's stance on religion
Lenin also reiterated Marx's view in his article "The Attitude of the Workers' Party towards Religion":
"Religion is the opium of the people; this statement is the cornerstone of the entire Marxist ideology on religion."
Although Lenin was critical of religion, he did not strictly prohibit religious believers from joining the Bolshevik Party, which shows that he accepted the social context in which religion existed to a certain extent.
Stalin and subsequent leaders' views on religion
Stalin's public statements on religious issues were relatively rare compared to those of Marx and Lenin, but he believed in continuous anti-religious propaganda. He pointed out:
"We continue our campaign against religious bigotry."
Stalin's views emphasized the importance of science and criticized religion as an extension of capitalist exploitation.
The influence of Marxism on other countries
In Marxist countries such as the Soviet Union and China, religion often faces strong repression. For example, during the Cultural Revolution in China, many religious sites were converted into non-religious buildings. While China's attitude toward religion has become relatively relaxed over time, the country still maintains a decidedly atheist tone. At the same time, Albania declared itself an atheist country in 1967 and eliminated religious influence through national unanimous will.
Contemporary thinking about religion
In today's society, Marx's view on the role of religion remains a controversial topic. Many scholars believe that Marx's criticism of religion not only reflects the social contradictions in a specific historical context, but also has a profound impact on the formation of thought in modern society. Over time, understandings of religion have changed, and many schools have sought to combine religion with social movements to address contemporary social issues.
Against this background, can Marx's famous saying still be applied to today's religious beliefs? Does this provide us with space for lasting thinking and discussion?
