Marx on religion

Abstract

In discussing the views of Marx on Religion, attention has to be focussed on his early works. It is principally in these works that Marx expressed an interest in religion as a form of ideology and as a manifestation of alienation. Accordingly this study is based, with very few exceptions, on relevant texts taken from works written by Marx up to 1848. Marx was not particularly concerned with religion in itself. In general when he dealt with this question, he did so as a by-product of his analyses on alienation and ideology. sometimes also he was provoked to write about religion to attack what he considered to be the hypocritical attitudes of those who defended the Christian state and the Christian religion. Although Marx did not write much about religion, yet what he had to say is of great importance in understanding Marx's thought, particularly concerning alienation and false consciousness. Moreover Marx's views on religion have attracted attention with respect to the debate on the compatibility (or otherwise) of Christianity and Marxism. This debate has assumed considerable importance, particularly in Christian countries. One objection that is often directed against Marxism by non-atheists is that Marx proposed the abolition of religion as a necessary condition of communism. The slogan "Religion is the Opium of the People" is commonly quoted a proof of this.