Many of us are familiar with the phrase "Religion is opium for 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 - Opium for the People" was used in their works by two representatives of the world of Western European literature: the Marquis de Sade and Novalis. Although it is partially found already in the works of classics of representatives of the Enlightenment, starting from the 18th century, it is still believed that for the first time these words were spoken by one of the heroines of the work of the Marquis de Sade.
In the novel of the Marquis de Sade called "Juliet", published in 1797, the main character, turning to the king, tells him that the ruling elite of the society deceives the people, intoxicates them with opium. She does this for the sake of her selfish interests.
Thus, this expression in the interpretation of the Marquis de Sade did not refer to religion, but to the social structure of society, in which some people, occupying dominant positions, lived off the labor and poverty of others.
Novalis about religion
However, in the works of the German poet Novalis, the effect of religion is already directly connected with the action of opium. Religion as an opium affects 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 pain reliever, so it was considered not as a drug, but as a means of supporting sick people.
In relation to this poem of Novalis, which refers to the analgesic effect of religion, most likely, it means that religion is able to bring its positive aspects to society, partially mitigating the pain of social ulcers that are inevitable in any era.
“Religion is opium for the people”: who said these words in England?
The phrase about the meaning of religion, dropped in the works of Novalis and the Marquis de Sade, would probably have been forgotten if it had not arisen again in England.
These words were spoken in his sermon by the Anglican priest Charles Kingsley. He was a bright personality: an intelligent and educated person, Kingsley became one of the creators of the ideas of Christian socialism - a teaching that involved the restructuring of society according to the principles of Christian morality.
Moreover, the expression "Religion is opium for the people" in the writings of this priest was used in the meaning of "sedative analgesic."
The fact is that in the middle of the year before last, there was heated debate in Western European thought about which path humanity should take: the path of Christian humanism, Christian socialism, the path of atheist 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 became so widespread. In his sensational work “On criticism of the Hegelian philosophy of law”, which was published in 1843, the philosopher, with his characteristic ardor and peremptory, declared that religion is a means of calming mankind, expressing the desire of people to escape from the rule of nature and unfair laws society.
Until then, few philosophers decided to write such words about religion in the open press. In fact, these were the first sprouts of the future sermon of atheism and socialism, which captured the world only after decades.
Probably, without fully realizing it, he did a lot to destroy the Christian idea in Western European thought Marx. “Religion is opium for 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 in the world of people.
The work of Marx caused a huge public outcry, therefore, 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. The revolutionary, who had a positive assessment on the subject “God's Law” in the gymnasium, wrote in 1905 about religion as a way of spiritual oppression, which should be excluded from the social structure.
Therefore, the author of the expression “Religion is opium for the people” (the full phrase more specifically sounds like “Religion is the opium of the people”) can be considered Vladimir Ilyich.
After another 4 years, Lenin spoke more specifically about religion, pointing out in his article that the phrase of Marx 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 contributed to this. In the novel by the two writers I. Ilf and E. Petrov, “The Twelve Chairs,” the young adventurer Ostap Bender asks his rival priest how much he sells opium for the people. This dialogue of two heroes was written so brilliantly that the phrase about opium became very popular.
Therefore, today, when someone uses the phrase, I recall not the works of Marx and Lenin, but the dialogue of two heroes 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 today is not seen as a means of intoxication. This is not a drug that leads people intoxicated, but a means of helping and supporting people.
Thus, we can conclude that many of us are well aware of the phrase “Religion is opium for the people. Who said these words is not so important, because this expression is used today more likely in a humorous way. And that is unlikely to change.