What social function did Karl Marx argue was served by organized religion_______________?
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Answer: B. support the exploitation of the masses
Explanation
From a conflict theory perspective, Marx argued that religion serves to pacify the working class. By promising rewards in the afterlife, religion discourages workers from challenging their earthly exploitation. This ideological function helps dominant classes maintain economic control over the struggling masses. Karl Marx famously described religion as the opiate of the masses in his sociological writings. Conflict theory views society as a struggle for dominance among social groups competing for scarce resources. Historical ruling classes frequently used religious authority to legitimize their political power and wealth.
Sociologists use conflict theory to analyze how cultural institutions reinforce existing social inequalities. Understanding Marx's critique helps scholars evaluate the relationship between political power and religious institutions. This perspective highlights how belief systems can be utilized to maintain social order and control. Marx believed religion hindered people from improving their actual material conditions by offering false hope. Dealing with reality directly contradicts Marx's view of religion as an illusion masking true conditions. Attaining immortality is a theological concept rather than the primary social function Marx identified.
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