SOC203H1 Lecture Notes - Epiphenomenon, Moral Authority, Anomie
Document Summary
Marx believed that although religious ideas are not to be trusted revolutionary, it would be misplaced to attack revolutionary ideas in the hope that they will evaporate. Marx argued: the task for revolutionaries was to get at the social causes of religious beliefs, mainly exploitation: and to get rid of this. To get rid of exploitation one must get rid of the struggles between social classes a classless society is therefore needed. Argued it was misplaced to attack religious beliefs through contrary beliefs. Root cause of religious beliefs: exploitation, emerging in societies divided by class. * the state: is an epiphenomenon --> this refers to something in the realm of appearances, or on the surface - opposed to the fundamental/root causes of things. For marx, the state is an unwanted bi-product. The state exist to uphold the system of exploitation of the bourgeoise over the proletariat.
