Karl Marx Communist Manifesto on Religion

Religion according to Karl Marx is a basis for continued separation between the ruling and the working class. The ruling class employs religion behind which lurks its own special interest. According to him there is a constant overpowering of new religious ideas over the old. The ancient religions was overthrown by Christianity and itself succumbed to rationalistic ideas in the 18^th century. He interprets that to be the birth of religious liberty and awakening the freedom of consciousness.  He says eventhough religious , moral and philosophical ideas changes it did not change the system founded on them. Communism he says should abolish all eternal truths, religions and existing moral principles and constitutes them in a new picture which will not make history repeat but establish a system that requires no more self correction or overpowering of one idea over another, or exploitation of one class of people (religious, social or economical) over the other He feels one does not require deep intuition to understand human consciousness which changes with changes in time due to the material and social changes around him.

 

The ruling class according to him are minorities but who have been strong and ruling the majority, among many factors employing religion as one of them.  This reminds me of Brahminism and its misuse by few as a ruling minority over the majority under the name of god and religion. Karl Marx idea was to unite the working class and also remove the boundaries of nationalism among them to bring a self conscious independent movement by the majority for the majority. Buddha was faced with a similar situation of his times but he found a solution through his wisdom, for he knew there is nothing else to master but oneself through one’s own mind.

 

Main failure of Karl Marx philosophy is he failed to see that eventhough the interests have to be centered around the likes and wants of majority and abolition of every sectarian form of antagonistic society, there requires a trustful government on the same principle to implement with all sincerity adhering to the same goals. He wanted to abolish the minority over majority, but he failed to see the communist governments formed are indirectly minority (do not really represent people, as people with power tend to use it for their own purpose) controlling the majority and by virtue of this enormous control given to the government, it became like an aristocratic rule.

 

Failure of communism is directly linked with economy, and it seems to be true for there were no steps taken for higher productivity. Obviously everyone under the communist rule would be getting equal privilege, well it may sound great but not everyone works the same. There are a section of people who benefit on others work and are just parasites and there is NO COMPETITION and thus NO IMPROVED PRODUCTIVITY. The society eventhough is divided by capitalistic ideas still seems to be the workable philosophy for a better economical living. A better economy brings about a change in living and even moral conditions among people with the challenge and competition being the motivational factors to survive by being contributive, responsible and productive.