Marxism Law and Legal Definition
Marxism is a system of thought developed by Karl Marx, along with Friedrich Engels, which is the basis for the theoretical principles of communism. Its theories projects class struggle as a central element in the analysis of social change in Western societies. Marxism is the antithesis of capitalism, which is defined by Encarta as “an economic system based on the private ownership of the means of production and distribution of goods, characterized by a free competitive market and motivation by profit.” Marxism is the system of socialism of which the dominant feature is public ownership of the means of production, distribution, and exchange.
Apart from their political and economic views, Marx had strong views regarding religion as well. Religion, according to Marx was the response to the pain of being alive, the response to earthly suffering. In Towards a Critique of Hegel’s Philosophy of Right (1844), Marx wrote, “Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the feeling of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless circumstances.” Marx indicated in this writing that the working class, the proletariat was a true revolutionary class, universal in character and acquainted with universal suffering. This provided the need for religion.
