Marx’s teaching on alienation and exploitation
Karl Marx was a 19th century economic theorist and philosopher who argued that the ‘fundamental
evil’ of capitalism leads to alienation and exploitation. Goods take precedent in capitalism, rather
than people, so workers simply become part of the production process and are therefore alienated
and dehumanised. The ruling class, the bourgeoise, treat their workers as a means to end –
exploiting them for the purpose of excess profit, and the proletariat become objects unable to live
fulfilling lives.
Marx argued that in order to create a fairer society, the proletariat would need to revolt and begin
to violently resist the structures that alienated them.
Marx’s teachings on religion
Marx talked about the working class experiencing a ‘false consciousness’ where they do not realise
they are being exploited and he argued that God and religion were a major factor sustaining this
false consciousness and hiding the truth from them.
Marx described religion as the ‘opioid’ of the people’, referring to the addictive drug which reduces
pain and leads to hallucinations. He argues that religion distorts people’s sense of reality and
convinces the working class to be complicit in their subjugation as it teaches that it is ‘more spiritual’
to be poor and that the poor will be rewarded in the afterlife. The proletariat are comforted by these
teachings and this illusion of an afterlife which makes them ignore their suffering in this life, like the
painkilling effect of the opium drug, whilst the rich profit off their exploitation.
- e.g Jesus says “It is easier for a camel to get through the eye of a needle than for someone
who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”
With religion in place as a tool used by the bourgeoise, Marx felt that revolution could never take
place and the proletariat could never free themselves from alienation and oppression.
As it is solely a tool of oppression, Marx felt that there would be no need for religion once those in
poverty had been liberated.
The Kingdom of God
Liberation theology is a theological movement that began in response to mass poverty in Latin
America, and focuses on action and solidarity rather than teachings.
For liberation theologists, the Kingdom of God is the transformation of this world here and now,
rather than somewhere we go after death. It is something we have to actively bring about ourselves
and therefore, if we wish to bring about the Kingdom of God, we must first end the exploitation and
alienation of the working class.
Marx’s identification of these issues in society and solutions to these issues are an invaluable source
of analysis for Liberation Theologists. Gutierrez, widely regarded as the founder of Liberation
Theology, was clear that his approach had been influenced by Marxism. In his theology, he mentions
Marx’ theories of alienation and exploitation, and the idea of structural inequality creating structural
sin. Most importantly Gutierrez shares Marx’s belief that human beings have the power to change
the world they live in which is crucial for bringing about the Kingdom of God.
- Liberation theology is very in line with the Jewish idea of the Messiah who would bring
peace and liberation for all on Earth.
, o Kloppenburg argues that Liberation Theology places too much emphasis on people
being able to deliver liberation and salvation, whereas ultimately the Kingdom of
God is brought about by God’s intervention and salvation is a gift from God.
Social and structural Sin
Looking at the oppressive governments in Latin America and the dominance of capitalism, Gutierrez
emphasised the need to stop social sin which promotes poverty and injustice. He felt that earthly
social and economic liberation must come first, and only then could Christians move on to address
personal sin and reconcile themselves with God.
- This idea can be seen within the Biblical exodus story and the liberation of the people of
Israel. God tells Pharoah to “Let my people go, so that they may worship me.” This highlights
how earthly liberation comes before the spiritual.
o Segundo believed that liberation from sin should come first because it might not be
possible to change the world’s social and political structures. Nevertheless, he still
he still felt Christians should give priority to the poor and stand in solidarity with
them.
Marxist analysis of structural inequality informed the liberation theology concept of structural sin.
Gutierrez, drawing on Marx, argued that sin is not just personal but collective and historical as it is
found within our very social structures and institutions. This could be through our economic system
of capitalism, which Marx identified as the worst perpetrator of social sin, or through our institutions
like schools, the state or even the Church. This is seen in the Bible when Jesus turned the money
lending tables in the temple.
Currently, the Church may try to help those in poverty but fails to challenge the system which is
putting people in poverty. Paulo Freire points out that you are praised and called a saint if you give
food to the poor, but then criticised and labelled a communist if you ask why the poor have no food
to begin with. He argues that people need to become conscious of structural sin and begin to
challenge the power structures in society in order for any change to occur. By focusing only on
theology and spirituality, the Church has become an institution with structural sin.
Liberation theology’s teaching on the ‘preferential option for the poor.’
Segundo argues that whatever criticisms can be levelled at liberation theology for its use of Marxist
theories, there is an authentic Christian response in the preferential option for the poor.
The preferential option for the poor refers to a trend in the Bible where individuals who are on the
margins of society and are powerless are prioritised over other groups, and refers to the way Jesus
himself associated more closely with the poor. For example, in Exodus God takes pity on the
Israelites in Egypt and saves them, and Jesus throughout his life worked as a liberator for the
marginalised in society.
In regards to Marxist theory, it is not possible to overcome the alienation and exploitation of those
in society without positive discrimination working in their favour.
Gutierrez argues that Christianity must start from a point of solidarity with the poor, and only after
this solidarity is achieved does it become helpful to consider the theology of what you are doing. As
liberation theology grew, many ‘base communities’ in Latin America existed without a priest, so that
they were free from the institutional approach of the Church and could focus on action rather than
theology. This is a core liberation theology principle that right action, orthopraxis, is more important
