Karl Marx and His Sociology of Religion - Essay Example

Name: Course: Tutor: Date: Question one Marx sociology of religion Explanation: Karl Marx advanced the sociology of religion. His definition to religion can best be described to mean an illusion. He believed that religion was there to keep the wealthy prospering while the less fortunate in the society realm where they were. Marx opposed the notion of religion. Facts are what matters according to him. Religion is thought from this perspective to be the blinding force that robs man the ability to face reality and work towards achieving a certain goal or wade away from an impending ‘disaster’. It has been used a tool of comfort to the oppressed by promising them eternal life, reward for suffering, hope for future divine intervention and justification for classism. Karl Marx, in his own words, calls religion the opium of the poor (Coleman 298). Illustration: context: In John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, previously Casy was talking about the spirit no longer in him, doing things like giving grace because people just expect him to do it. (p.25). He is having a conversation with Ma Joad. [Cassy] "Here I got the sperit sometimes an' nothin' to preach about. I got the call to lead people, an' no place to lead 'em. [Ma Joad] "What the hell you want to lead 'em someplace for? Jus' lead 'em." Commentary: The excerpt clearly shows the aspect of religion in a context where even those who do advocate it sometimes doubt the same. Casy in his own words accepts that he knows no place to lead the people. Ma Joad’s view is far more different from those of Casy. He sees no need in leading people to a particular goal, instead leading them should be the goal. The fact that Casy wants to lead people somewhere reflects well with Marx’s ideas about religion. It promises one a place that does not exist, giving them the illusion of hope. According to Marx the promises that religion promises are unrealistic, the same way this concept is seen from the excerpt, the place to lead is non existent. Commodity fetishism Explanation: Critique by Marx with regard to political economy brought about the aspect of commodity fetishism. In essence it refers to mystification of mans relationships. This occurs in scenarios whereby mans social relationships are expressed in terms of objects relationship. Example is the relationship exhibited between commodities and money (Coleman 301). The aspect of capitalism has its root in commodity fetishism. Marx explains that in capitalistic society, commodity fetishism plays an integral part in linking subjective and objective aspects of economy. Objects are given power which in essence is only available in the creators of the objects them selves. Illustration: context: in Nickel and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich " There are no secret economics that nourish the poor; on the contrary, there are a host of special costs. If you can't put up the two months' rent you need to secure an apartment, you end up paying through the nose for a room by the week. If you have only a room, with a hot plate at best, you can't save by cooking up huge lentil stews that can be frozen for the week ahead. You eat fast food or the hot dogs and Styrofoam cups of soup that can be microwaved in a convenience store. If you have no money for health insurance . . . you go without routine care or prescription drugs and ends up paying the price." (p. 27) Commentary: I chose the excerpt because it clearly brings out the issue of commodity fetishism. Man though the creator of the commodities like money, without it one cannot access services like food, or housing. With no money one can not access healthy insurance. The author brings out clearly the fact that a price has to be paid for lack of the commodity in question. Money has been given much power than the creators themselves; in fact the power it wields drives every activity that is being done. food, a good apartment and health care can only be found if one has the commodity, without it, life is at stand still. Durkheim’s sociology of religion Explanation: The sociology of religion was advocated by Emile Durkheim, a French Sociologist; he believed that religion was helpful in the society and therefore sought the role of religion in the society rather than in individual mind. He argued that religion is there to bind people living in the society and not a thing found in an individual mind. I strived to find out the origin of religion in the society rather than in the mind of an individual. His famous advocacy was that religion is a distinction between things that are sacred and those which are profane (Coleman 342). He also went ahead and differentiated between magic and religion arguing that magic is not so much related to religion in any way because magic is done individually. Given the fact that Durkheim was interested in the role of religion in community binding, he therefore sought the role of religion in emotion of the community. He argued that the relationship that existed between people and the supernatural also exist between people and the community. He is famous suggestion was “God is society, writ large”. Illustration: Context: April and Cheryl go out for Christmas festivities in a public place. They are in their parents’ house (p. 4). One December, we all went down to watch the Santa Claus Parade. That was such a thrilling, magical day for me…..I was enchanted by all the coloured Christmas lights and the decorations in the store windows.” Commentary: I chose the passage because of the fact that Durkheim believes that religion is for the benefit of the community coming together. In this context, Christmas is one of the religious activities that come every December of every year. In the passage, the two girls, Cheryl and April were out to have good time with the rest of the community; this clearly shows that Christmas is a time when the community comes together without regard to the social class they are in. Although the two girls are shown to be from a poor and humble background, they freely interact with others during Christmas; this is in accordance with Durkheim sociology of religion. Alienation Explanation: This is a concept which was done and advocated by Karl Marx. The definition of it can be taken to be the estrangement of an individual from the things that he has been used to, or from another person, or an entity. The goal of the people behind this is that they are trying as much as possible to make people liberated from their alienation. The argument here is human beings are supposed to be able to live together with each other as they are social animals. They are not supposed to get alienated with others in the society. This can be equaled to full realization of the nature of the human being when all chains of alienation have been done away with (Coleman 402). This will be realized when one’s true nature by way of labor which has been liberated and also through the expression of one’s human condition by way of culture and art. Marx came up with three aspects of alienation which are private property, the commodity of labor character and the division of labor in the society. Illustration: Context: In Cheryl and April’s parent’s house when they were being taken to an orphanage (p. 9). April, I want you and Cheryl to go with these people. It will only be for a little while. Right now, Daddy and me, well, we can’t take care of you. You will be all right. You be good girls, for me. I’m sorry….” Commentary: I chose the passage because it clearly shows alienation in practice. The two girls are being separated from their parents. Poverty is the real cause of alienation. This is so because of the fact that their parents are not able to take care of them and they are taken to the orphanage for sure. It is bringing out clearly the way poverty is separating people in the society. Anomie Explanation: This concept was made popular by Emile Durkheim, a French Sociologist. This is the personal feeling of lack of norms in the society. It is as a result of the breakdown of standards that have been followed for a long time. The concept comes from the lack of ethics in the society which gives birth to more deregulation and further making legitimate aspirations to be absent. It has been widely used in labor relations where the corporations and employers do not follow societal ethics in the daily operations of their ventures. Durkheim contrasted this to the division of labor which is seen to be taking place in the society (Coleman 286). Illustration: Context: In john Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. The chapter talks about how men pour kerosene on food because they cannot make any profit (p. 555) "They splashed out through the water, to the towns, to the country stores, to the relief offices, to beg for food, to cringe and beg for food, to beg for relief, to try to steal, to lie. And under the begging, and under the cringing, a hopeless anger began to smolder. And in the little town’s pity for the sodden men changed to anger, and anger at the hungry people changed to fear of them…" (p. 555) Commentary: The passage is instrumental in bringing out the effect of break down in societal norms. Since the few who have food cannot make good profits, they prefer destroying them instead of giving to the hungry. This passage clearly brings out how vices created by a few can lead to a total disregard of norms in the society. The hungry finding no food would resort to stealing, or lie. Starving people grave for food but someone is standing in their way to achieve the goal. The food they could have accessed has kerosene being poured on them. What happens when anger flares up is clearly shown by the excerpt. When the moral society practice is given up for a lesser ethical practice, disorganization, fear and all kinds of moral disorientation emerge. Primitive accumulation Explanation - the concept was coined by Marx and later made popular by Adam Smith. According to Marx the concept of primitive accumulation starts from the capital it self. Class distinction arose due to the same capital that was not equal across the line. However, Smith’s account of the same puts emphasis on the accumulation of stock. Argument is made that the hard working people gained a lot of wealth by accumulating them, where as the less hard working accumulated less. Many who are hard working are bothered a lot as compared to the contrary. Due to this approach to labor, class separation arose with the hard working being rich due to accumulated wealth while the contrary remained poor. In return for a living, those who could not be bothered eventually gave up their labor force to the rich (Coleman 296). Illustration Context: In John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath. Tenants are to be effected from their premises. (p. 38) "The tenants, from their sun beaten dooryards, watched uneasily when the closed cars drove along the fields. And at last the owner men drove into the dooryards and sat in their cars to talk out of the windows…. the Bank has to have profits. " Commentary: I chose this excerpt because it clearly shows the separation brought about by poverty. The rich live lavishly while the poor languish in poverty selling their labor for a living. As the closed cars drove the tenants gets the feeling of inferiority. Yeah. The luxury is brought about by accumulated wealth, like houses in which the tenants live in. it is with no doubt that the tenants have no homes of their own. They have accumulated inadequate wealth if any at all where as the rich continue becoming rich due to the continuous wealth accumulation. They have to ensure more money from the bank profits. Tenants on their part have nothing. The principle of accumulation has brought division along social classes. The rich care less for the poor. Traditional authority Explanation- traditional authority is a form of sociology that places authority in to the leadership body of the society. Decisions made are made on the basis of how it has been in the past. No new ideologies are introduced in to the system to go in line with the prevailing situation. Max Weber coined the concept in sociology. He emphasized that the legitimacy of the authority came from bureaucratic passage from one generation to another. Tradition plays the center role with an individual’s charisma and character being one of the things that authority is derived from. Those who hold power do so not because of their skill or competence. The structure is based on ‘it has always been so’ kind of understanding (Coleman 678). Illustration: Context: In grapes of wrath by John Steinbeck’s, after the wind destroys all the corn. "The women studied the men's faces secretly, for the corn could go as long as something else remained…… The children wait for their parents' reactions. After a while, the men's faces become angry and resistant and the women know everything will be all right. The women go to work and children begin to play. "The men sat still - thinking - figuring. (P.15) Commentary: I chose this excerpt because traditional authority is clearly shown here. It shows that it has been the duty of men and still is to provide food and other amenities for their family. Women are left in a state of subject, waiting for men to make decisions. In fact they are afraid to ask the men the way forward instead they study tem secretly. Children are in a stead of confusion waiting for their parent’s reaction. Even though every thing is not alright, the men have to comfort their family. Their expression gives comfort to women and children who resume their normal duties without worry. Men on the other part are left still figuring out what to do. By virtue of their traditional authority they have a duty to care for the family and provide way forward. Reification Explanation: Reification is a sociological concept that was advanced by Marx. In his observation men have placed non living things into the context of living things. Giving objects powers that in the real sense they do not have is the notion advanced by this ideology. In this ideology objects are turned in to subject while the reverse is true for the subjects. Power is given to objects and subjects are made to be dependant on the same (Coleman 686). Believe here is that any thing or idea that can be though of must naturally exist and must have some form of controlling power over nature. While reification might seem similar to alienation, the later is a specific form of the former. Illustration context: In grapes of wrath by John Steinbeck’s, "The migrant people, scuttling for work, scrabbling to live, looked always for pleasure, dug for pleasure, manufactured for pleasure, and they were hungry for amusement." (p. 415) Commentary: The excerpt is suitable for the illustration of reification, since it shows how labor has been given much importance than the laborers themselves. Men scuttled for work. Without work they have no living. They derive pleasure from laboring but what about from satisfaction? They are contented with hunger which they have accepted as part of their lives. The power to which labor is give supersedes the power the laborer is wielding. His suffering is because of attachment of importance to labor rather than to himself. Without laboring so hard there is no living, there is no survival and there is no food. Human have become subject to labor and not the other way round. Question two Relationship between alienation and primitive accumulation: Towards a new understanding. Alienation results from primitive accumulation. According to Marx, primitive accumulation is a central point in which every aspect of capitalism revolves. The capitalistic society can in no doubt be thought to have no alienation in itself. The upper class and the lower class are alienated from the services they wish to access at different levels. In primitive accumulation, people strive to accumulate a lot of stock. Their constant worries drives hem to work hard in the same. How ever it is also to be considered that in the same society exist a class of people who do not care to accumulate wealth. Within time, those who work hard become rich and those who were reluctant to work hard remain poor. For a living the poor resort to selling their labor in return for wages. Alienation then comes in. the poor are separated from their property. They leave their land and sell their labor for food. Some resort to leasing or even selling the same commodity in return of meager compensation. The gap between the rich and the poor there fore increase as time goes by. Within no time services that were available to all can no longer be accessed by all. The high class get access to better services while the lower class get substandard services if any at all. The self determination that one had before is no longer there. All directions and goals are set by the bourgeoisie class who own the means of production. Workers are estranged from their ability to be creative and work toward achieving their own goals. Their work is commoditized and compensation is meager if any at all. From a critical point of view therefore, primitive accumulation once it results must lead to alienation. Provided part of the society is striving to accumulate as much as possible while another part is reluctant to do so, alienation is the result. Capitalistic society in general has both these aspects as the building blocks. In a capitalistic society, every one works on his own to acquire as much as possible. The driving force is to be better than the other. The concept primitive accumulation is in no doubt the driving force; hence the result is ultimately alienation of the poor from means of production. In essence the poor become means of production for the rich. Epistemology Epistemology is a philosophical term used in try to express knowledge boundaries or limitations. In practical three questions are debated with regard to knowledge. These are questions questioning what knowledge is, how it is acquired and how one knows what he knows. Empiricism is an epistemological orientation, which emphasizes on the importance and role of perceptual experience in knowledge gathering. Positivism and realism are some variants of empiricism (Coleman 102). Empiricism does not agree with other knowledge theories like idealism. Pure thinking is not considered source of knowledge by empiricism, the only source of knowledge is considered to be through sensory experience. It does not take into consideration the cultural or environmental aspects in stead sensory data is depended on as the only source of knowledge. Realism is similar to empiricism to extend of compromise. While in empiricism knowledge is derived from sensory experience, realism advocate for common sense. Argument is that the world cannot be viewed directly as it is. Some form of common sense has to prevail in order to understand and derive knowledge from the existing situation. New philosophy of science put emphasis on scientific attributes. The methods and processes of science are expounded. It tries to establish if any truth is there in the results of science. In reality the philosophy of science brings out an issue in relation to the function of science and how the same should be interpreted. Realists assert that truth is foul in any scientific argument while scientific antirealists oppose the same arguing that scientific theories should be regarded as untrue (Coleman 64). The best two epistemologies here are the realism and empiricism. They both emphasize on the use of common sense to gain knowledge. Experience also is considered the most valuable aspect in gauging the level of an individual’s knowledge. The early man improved his life through experience. Methods of hunting, domestication of animals to transportation all were developed through experience of man. Realism emphasize on looking at the world from different perspective on not just the way things are. I agree with the same since common sense has to be availed if any meaningful information is to be got. The present society also considers important people to be those who have been in the field for a long time. Importance is attached to the practical experience individual has. Therefore the two epistemologies offer a realistic picture of how knowledge is acquired and developed as opposed to other epistemologies. Question three Difference between Marx concept of alienation and Durkheim’s’ concept of Anomie Though both concepts in general discus about social consciousness, there is a great difference between the two concepts advanced by Marx and Durkheim. In Durkheim’s’ anomie, the building principle of the society is its ability to live in harmony with no social discord amongst them selves. Social order is derived from social solidarity of the society. Values hold the central place of human beings in the world. These values are defined by Durkheim as morality patriotism and religion. They are the strands through which the society is tied together. Breakage in any of the strands could lead to social disunity and hence rise of vices. Societies, according to Anomie have different levels of solidarity. With introduction of modernity, do the strands start breaking down and ultimately no order is there in the society. The difference is clearly seen by the advancement of Marx concept of alienation. The break down in Marx concept is not as a result of social disunity or break down in societal norms. However it is the separation of an individual from nature. In his view Marx believes the foundation of society based on the principles of equality and freedom. One is separated from his means of lively hood as well as from his/her free will to choose. This is contrary to the concept of Anomie where an individual has the ability to choose. Marx appears to prefer modernity as an avenue to a free society where each social group can exist in their own freedom choosing what to do and not subject to any estrangement from any thing. The modernity is thought to give one sense of respect and self realization. Durkheim’s Anomie however, looks at modernity differently. The past world as seen from his concept is depicted as a society where norms and unity amongst the people in society existed. However, modernity has brought disorientation and loss of values that previously held the society together. Work cited Coleman, James. Foundations of social theory. London: Harvard university press, 1994.print. Read More