Karl Marx (1818 – 1883) was a German philosopher, sociologist, economist, and political theorist, particularly known for his political theories of Marxism and Communism. Max Weber (1864 – 1920), who along with Durkheim was influenced by Karl Marx, was a German philosopher, and sociologist, educated in law, history, theology, and economics. Both were highly influential in the field of sociology, and both commented on the nature of religion. However, their ideas on the subject did differ. This essay will aim to identify and explain the ideas and approaches of Marx and Weber towards religion. Marx believed religion to be an illusion caused by exploitation and suffering due to social and economic circumstance. Weber theorised on the development
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Marx observed that throughout history there was one class which controlled or oppressed another for economic gain, for example, in the feudal system, or with the bourgeois class and the proletariat. Eventually, the oppressed would revolt due to their misery, changing the system of class structure. (Marx 1986, p.226-227). Marx believed that eventually, a socialist and later communist society would overcome the capitalistic system, where the workers would no longer be oppressed but would have control over their economic production. Moreover, Marx believed that the method of production and division of labour was detrimental to the worker, as the roles forced upon him dehumanised him and caused alienation. The worker is both set against his fellow worker due to economic competition and alienated from himself as the division of labour and repetition of a task means that he is estranged from seeing his completed product. This alienation refers to the person being deprived of his self-realisation and reaching his full potential. (Marx and Caute 1967, p.56; Riesebrandt and Konieczny 2010, …show more content…
One criticism is that Marx restricts his analysis to the sociological perspective, disregarding any other arguments on the nature of religion which may relate to other fields, for example, the arguments of religion being an individual experience from a more theological perspective. Like Feuerbach and Freud, Marx was a reductionist, and he attempted to explain religion as an illusionary response people have due to their social circumstance (Chryssides and Geaves 2014, p.141) without considering any other basis for religious belief than economic factors. Marx was also an atheist, and his negative view towards religion may have influenced his views, giving his beliefs on religion a negative bias. Marx’s observations of his contemporary society and the effects of the system on people may be correct, but his theories may neglect a wider worldview. Similarly, Marx’s idea that the abolition of the illusion of religion is enough to form a perfect society is perhaps too optimistic. Indeed, while many self-proclaimed communist states, such as the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China, were influenced by Marx’s ideas and reject religion (Moyser 2010, p.454), they are not without social problems. However, the criticism of these problems may be better placed against Marx’s idea of the success of a classless society. A final argument is
Marx observed that throughout history there was one class which controlled or oppressed another for economic gain, for example, in the feudal system, or with the bourgeois class and the proletariat. Eventually, the oppressed would revolt due to their misery, changing the system of class structure. (Marx 1986, p.226-227). Marx believed that eventually, a socialist and later communist society would overcome the capitalistic system, where the workers would no longer be oppressed but would have control over their economic production. Moreover, Marx believed that the method of production and division of labour was detrimental to the worker, as the roles forced upon him dehumanised him and caused alienation. The worker is both set against his fellow worker due to economic competition and alienated from himself as the division of labour and repetition of a task means that he is estranged from seeing his completed product. This alienation refers to the person being deprived of his self-realisation and reaching his full potential. (Marx and Caute 1967, p.56; Riesebrandt and Konieczny 2010, …show more content…
One criticism is that Marx restricts his analysis to the sociological perspective, disregarding any other arguments on the nature of religion which may relate to other fields, for example, the arguments of religion being an individual experience from a more theological perspective. Like Feuerbach and Freud, Marx was a reductionist, and he attempted to explain religion as an illusionary response people have due to their social circumstance (Chryssides and Geaves 2014, p.141) without considering any other basis for religious belief than economic factors. Marx was also an atheist, and his negative view towards religion may have influenced his views, giving his beliefs on religion a negative bias. Marx’s observations of his contemporary society and the effects of the system on people may be correct, but his theories may neglect a wider worldview. Similarly, Marx’s idea that the abolition of the illusion of religion is enough to form a perfect society is perhaps too optimistic. Indeed, while many self-proclaimed communist states, such as the Soviet Union and the People’s Republic of China, were influenced by Marx’s ideas and reject religion (Moyser 2010, p.454), they are not without social problems. However, the criticism of these problems may be better placed against Marx’s idea of the success of a classless society. A final argument is