Religion at the time of the Communist Manifesto Essay -- Karl Marx Rel

Religion at the time of the Communist Manifesto Following the Industrial Revolution in 19th century Europe, heighten was in full swing and religion began to have different meanings for different populate. The upper-class citizens used Religion, namely Christianity, and the power that it possessed in an attempt to take note their high status in society, while the lower class turned to organized religion so that their lives could possibly improve. Instead of religion being the cornerstone of faith and worship amongst all people, it was being used for power and money by the upper class. Even worse, religious leaders were using the upper class people as well, gaining money and authority from their endorsement. A man by the name of Karl Marx saw what was happening and thus spoke out about it, declaring religion as the opium of the people.1 He had a vision for equality, and wrote it down in the form of the Communist Manifesto however nowhere in this document were aspirat ions of religious harmony. Religion was suitable the catalyst for class separation and social mayhem in 19th century Europe, and according to Karl Marx, equality was only possible with the abolition of it as a whole. In a time where industry was at a peak, and the wealthy citizens, or bourgeois, were getting richer and richer, religion was being used as a focal point to make money and ensure the power of the upper class, while the lower class proletariats could but watch their lives fade away into the horrific conditions of the working class, with bantam hope due to the lack of lower class education.2 As religions spread out freely, the authoritarian peoples frequently used their power to embrace religion as a moneymaker, and prevent liberty from turning ... ...eger, 1961.) 334 Armstrong, 1785 Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, Manifesto of the Communist Party, trans. Samuel Moore (Chicago Charles H. Kerr Publishing Company, 1989)6 Friedrich Engels, The Condition of the Working-Class in England in 1844 (London Swan Sonnenschein & Co., 1892) 45, 48-51.7) McClellan, 638 Sherman, Dennis , and Joyce Salisbury. The air jacket in the World. (Boston McGraw Hill, 2001.) 6179 Lichtheim, 42.10 Butterfield, Herbert. Christianity in European History. (London Collins, 1951) 5.11 Sherman, Salisbury, 617LinksProfessor Santamarinas webpagehttp//www.marxist.com/Theory/marxism_and_religion.htmlhttp//www.faithnet.freeserve.co.uk/marxism.htmhttp//dwardmac.pitzer.edu/Anarchist_Archives/bookchin/comman.htmlhttp//www.marxists.org/archive/marx/index.htm