3.2c Religion as an Opiate of the Masses

The German philosopher Karl Marx (1818-1883) viewed the role of religion in capitalism in a bleaker light than Weber did (see Chapter 7). Marx argued that religion served as an “opiate of the masses.” This description draws attention to how capitalists, or the bourgeoisie, use religion to keep the workers, or the proletariat, in a subordinate position. Marx argued that people are more likely to accept poor and exploitative living and working conditions if their religious beliefs have them focus on being rewarded in the afterlife. Remnants of this line of thinking can be found in everyday expressions, such as “God doesn’t give you any more than you can handle” or “This is just my lot in life.” If one accepts that God decides “one’s lot in life,” then one is less likely to revolt or demand better. As a result, capitalism and its reliance on poorly paid workers and exploitative working conditions for those workers continue.

Photo 3.8

Karl Marx

Contemporary research has explored Marx’s claim that religion encourages workers to accept poor conditions. This research has found some support, as well as more complexity. Schnabel (2021) used data from the General Social Survey, a nationally representative sample of U.S. households, for his study (see Chapter 2). He expanded his analysis beyond economically disadvantaged groups to consider other disadvantaged groups—women, sexual minorities, and racial minorities. He found that religion both comforts these groups and “suppresses progressive political views” (Schnabel, 2021, p. 1003). He argues that religion does not suppress progressive activism but leads adherents to be more conservative than they would otherwise be. In the United States today, religious devotion is linked with conservative political beliefs and, therefore, a greater acceptance of upholding existing conditions.