Evaluate the contribution of Marxist theories to our understanding of the role and functions of religion in the world today

Marx also sees religion as the product of alienation. Alienation reaches peak in the division of labour in a capitalist factory. In these dehumanising conditions, the exploited turn to religion as a form Religion acts as an opiate to dull the pain of exploitation. The role and function of religion is to act just like an opium that masks the pain rather than treating its cause, so religion masks the underlying problem of exploitation that creates the need for it. This is done by creating an illusory happiness that distracts attention form the true cause, as it can other no solution to earthy misery. Thus Marx sees the role of religion as the product of alienation and its role is to legitimise the suffering of the poor acting as a consolidation for their suffering. Marx’s theory of alienation can still be applied to society today the Hindu caste system, based on ascribed status that prevents movement from different classes. Within the caste system he doctrines of reincarnation and karma serve to assure those at the bottom of the classes that their obedience will be rewarded and disobedience will be punished. Even though the caste system has been loosened there is still violence against movement such as the Kherlanji Massacre of 2006.  However, attempts to destroy religion in communist countries were not successful. Religion survived the USSR and Catholicism thrived in communist Poland. This therefore suggests that there must be other reasons for the continued existence of religion and that even without classes it still persists.  Even so, Marxist still argue that the role and function of religion is to act an opiate to dull the real reasons for the explotationations of the proletariat.

Neo-Marxists such as Maduro argue that the role and functions of religion in the world today is not always a conservative force and says that it can sometimes become revolutionary. He uses the example of Liberation theology to illustrate this point. Until recent decades, the catholic church in Latin America sided with the bourgeoisie and right wing military dictatorship in countries such as El Salvador. Increasingly however some priests began to speak up for interests of the poor. The Liberation theology therefore developed, which argued that power and wealth, especially land, should be redistributed from the rich to the poor. This set of beliefs has developed an ideology whereby it encourages revolution rather than acts as the opium of the people. A more contemporary example is Poland in the 1990’s the ruling communist party was opposed by free trade unions and the roman catholic church. Eventually this led to the other throw of the communist system and its replacement by a western democratic regime.

Marxist and Neo-Marxist theories successfully explain the role of religion in some societies, at some times, but do not explain how religion works in all societies at all times. The role and function of religion is not necessarily the ruling class ideology it can provide positive functions such as ‘psychological adjustment to misfortune’. In addition, religion due to secularisation and structural differentiation resulting in disengagement of religion, religion is no longer used to maintain ruling class ideology.