Religious Expression Under Socialism

One of the many criticisms leveled against previous socialist societies was the lack of freedom for religious expression as dictated by the state and/or communist party. However, one cannot merely look at socialist societies as merely mirrors of Western society and its social norms while merely differing in political structure and economic arrangements. In other words, the Soviet Union was not a state or society set up in any way, shape, or form like that of Western liberal-capitalist republics. It had unique and contrary objectives for which it saw itself attempting to achieve.

The entire purpose of society, in socialism, is for the achievement of communism (to be distinguished from socialism - see my articles regarding socialism vs. communism). Thus, denying citizens the freedom of religious expression (both in idea and physical speech) was an important aspect of the transformation of the body politic and the community itself from the preceding stage of human development into the future.

To begin, I would like to discuss two distinctive reasons for why religious expression must be restricted under socialism. One reason rests upon the ideological hostility towards religion present in Marxist-Leninist philosophy. Secondly, I'd like to discuss the political justifications and reasoning for denying the citizenry the freedom of religious expression.

One of Marx's most famous quotations known to many non-Marxists regards religion. In the introduction to Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right (1843), Marx makes the proclamation that religion is the opiate of the masses. What this means precisely is rather simple and needs no in-depth analysis. Basically, Marxists approach religion from two perspectives: the philosophical and the political-economical.

Since Marxism is inherently materialistic in its outlook, it denies the metaphysical presence of Holy beings or miraculous events. It denies this as it sees the world in terms of physical matter and the relationship that exists between physical, empirical objects (composed of matter). The political-economic aspect of religion is what Marx is discussing when he refers to it as the "opiate of the masses." In this sense, Marx understands man-made institutional religion as part of the super-structure of society (coinciding with culture, political ideology, and tradition) which is in itself based upon the economic base.

For instance, Christianity has survived well within the economic base of capitalism because it has been man-made for the purpose of preaching a philosophy in sync with the values most crucial to capitalism: individuality (God helps those who help themselves); charity/philanthropy - necessary condition for keeping revolutionary class-consciousness quelled; faithfulness to the status quo and subservience to God; willingness to forgive one's enemies rather than take arms against them (inter-class unity).

The purpose of the metaphor "opiate" is the notion that religion provides a delusional escape from the real-life suffering of the masses in their physical, material world. Thus, the expression of religious ideals as a substitute for material revolution in response to economic and physical suffering is the plight of all working people. For Marx, the abolition of religion was a necessary condition for the working man to realize his true potential that he is not an idle component of his environment, and the only means for his true potency to become realized as he ascends to the top of his political, s