Comparing Marx And Durkheim's Function Of Religion

Karl Marx and Emilie Durkheim both try to make sense of modern society using sociological theories, but in very different ways. Both Marx and Durkheim’s theories are structural, meaning that society functions within social constraints that have been set prior to individuals birth. Free will is controlled and kept within the norms the structure has set. The difference between Marx and Durkheim however, is that Marx’s theory is one of conflict while Durkheim’s is one of consensus. This difference leads to the points this essay will be comparing. This essay will compare Marx and Durkheim’s views on the function of religion in modern society, Marx’s “alienation” to Durkheim’s “solidarity”, and their differing views on the current state of modern society and where it is leading.
First, religion is an ever-present institution in society and both theorists have ideas of what it is meant for.
Again, both have structural theories, so they believe that religion in society works to form its structure in some way. Marx, being a bit more economist then sociologist, bases a lot of his theory around capitalist society having divided everyone into those who own property and those who do not. This division has the owners in a dominant position over the non-owners, as the non-owners are left with little other choice then to work for the owners. The book Karl Marx states, “The social function of religion, then, is to cloud people’s minds and anaesthesize them to the sufferings of their alienated condition. This is what Marx means when (famously) he calls religion ‘the opium of the people’” (Wood, 2004). So, in Marx’s view religion acts as a tool to encourage the subservience of the non-owners. This is necessary in the capitalist society because without the non-owner’s willingness to service the owners, production of good and the accumulation of wealth cannot be continued and that is the aim of capitalist society. This view also demonstrates how conflict is a main vein in his
theory.
Durkheim on the other hand, sees the function of religion in society very differently. He does not see the hard division of owners and non-owners that Marx does. Durkheim sees the division of labor, where individuals specialize in specific jobs instead of doing a bit of everything, creating an interdependence within society. The people rely on one another to survive because one person does not do all the work. Readings from Emile Durkheim reads, “…in the Elementary Forms he argues that religion serves certain functional needs that bind people together, and that what people worship is really society itself.” (Thompson, 2004) This may seem similar to Marx’s view in the fact that both have the function of encouraging cooperation between those in society, but how is very different. Instead of blinding a dominated people of their oppression, this view has religion providing a common ground that allows all in society to relate to one another. The same moral values are given to all in society to that there is a consensus among the people. This consensus makes the interdependence of the society work better.