Many of us are familiar with the phrase "Religion is the opium of the people." Often people use it in their everyday speech, but not everyone thinks about its authorship.
And yet, who first said these words? And why are they so widespread? Let's try to answer these questions in detail.
Who was the first to say this phrase?
According to the researchers, for the first time the phrase "Religion is the opium of the people" was used in their works by two representatives of the world of Western literature: the Marquis de Sade and Novalis. Although it is partially found already in the works of the classics of the representatives of the Enlightenment, starting from the 18th century, it is still believed that for the first time these words were uttered by one of the heroines of the work of the Marquis de Sade.
In the novel of the Marquis de Sade called "Juliette", published in 1797, the main character, referring to the king, tells him that the ruling elite of society is deceiving the people, drugging them with opium. She does this for her own selfish interests.
Thus, this expression in the interpretation of the Marquis de Sade did not refer toreligion, but to the social structure of a society in which some people, occupying dominant positions, lived off the labor and poverty of others.
Novalis on religion
However, in the works of the German poet Novalis, the action of religion is already directly associated with the action of opium. Religion acts like an opium on people, but it does not heal their wounds, but only drowns out the pain of those who suffer.
In general, there was nothing atheistic or rebellious in this phrase. In those years, opium was used as the main painkiller, so it was not seen as a drug, but as a means of supporting sick people.
With regard to this poem by Novalis, which refers to the analgesic effect of religion, it most likely means that religion is able to bring its positive aspects into the life of society, partially alleviating the pain of social ulcers that are inevitable in any era.
"Religion is the opiate of the people": who said those words in England?
The phrase about the meaning of religion, dropped in the works of Novalis and the Marquis de Sade, might have been forgotten if it had not reappeared in England.
These words were spoken in his sermon by the Anglican priest Charles Kingsley. He was a bright personality: an intelligent and educated man, Kingsley became one of the creators of the ideas of Christian socialism - a doctrine that involved the restructuring of society according to the principles of Christian morality.
At the same time, the expression "Religion is the opium of the people" in the writings of this priest was used in the sense“sedative pain reliever.”
The fact is that in the middle of the century before last, there were heated debates in Western European thought about which path humanity should choose: the path of Christian humanism, Christian socialism, the path of atheistic socialism, or simply the conservation of the existing world order.
One of Kingsley's opponents was the famous philosopher and publicist Karl Marx.
What did Marx say?
Largely thanks to Marx, this phrase has become so widespread. In his sensational work “Toward a Criticism of the Hegelian Philosophy of Law”, which was published in 1843, the philosopher, with his characteristic vehemence and categoricalness, declared that religion is a means of calming humanity, expressing the desire of people to escape from the domination of nature and unjust laws over them. society.
Until then, few philosophers dared to write such words about religion in the open press. In fact, these were the first sprouts of the future preaching of atheism and socialism, which captured the world only decades later.
Probably, not fully realizing it himself, Marx did a lot to destroy the Christian idea in Western European thought. "Religion is the opium of the people" - this expression in the sense that the preacher of socialism meant was scary for a deeply religious person. Its destructiveness was manifested in the fact that it turned religion into a social institution for regulating social relations and closed the question of God's presence inworld of people.
Marx's work caused a huge public outcry, so the phrase about religion was remembered by contemporaries.
Lenin's works on religion
But V. I. Lenin went much further in his understanding of religion. As early as 1905, the revolutionary, who had a positive assessment in the subject of the "Law of God" in the gymnasium, wrote about religion as a method of spiritual oppression, which should be excluded from the social structure.
Therefore, the author of the expression "Religion is the opium of the people" (the full phrase more specifically sounds like "Religion is the opium of the people") can be considered Vladimir Ilyich.
After 4 years, Lenin spoke more specifically about religion, pointing out in his article that Marx's phrase should be understood as the essence of Marxism itself, which stands on the fact that religion is a means of enslaving the people by the ruling classes.
And finally, what did Ostap Bender say?
After the Bolshevik revolution, the works of Marx and his associates began to be actively studied in Soviet schools and universities. At the same time, many phrases received humorous circulation among the people.
The satirical literature of those years also contributed to this. In the novel by two writers I. Ilf and E. Petrov "The Twelve Chairs", a young adventurer Ostap Bender asks his rival priest how much he sells opium for the people. This dialogue between the two characters was written so brilliantly that the phrase about opium became very popular.
So today whensomeone uses the phrase, not the works of Marx and Lenin are remembered, but the dialogue of two characters from the famous novel.
Therefore, it turns out that in general, in its Leninist meaning, this phrase has not taken root in our society. Religion is not seen today as a means of intoxication. This is not a drug that makes people drunk, but a means of helping and supporting people.
Thus, we can conclude that many of us are well aware of the phrase “Religion is the opium of the people. Whoever said these words is not so important, because this expression is used today rather in a humorous way. And that is unlikely to change.
