"Religion is opium for the people." Who is the author of the phrase?

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 did they become so widespread? Let's try to answer these questions in detail.

Who first said this phrase?

As the researchers believe, 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 partially occurs already in the works of the classics of representatives of the Enlightenment, starting from the 18th century, but still it is 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 Marquise de Sade called "Juliette", published in 1797, the main character, addressing the king, tells him that the ruling elite of society deceives the people, stupefies him with opium. She does it for her own selfish interests.

Thus, this expression in the treatment of the Marquis de Sade did not relate to religion, but to the social structure of a society in which some people, occupying dominant positions, lived at the expense of labor and the poverty of others.

Novalis about religion

However, in the works of the German poet Novalis, the action of religion is already directly associated with the action of opium. Religion as opium affects people, but it does not heal their wounds, but only dulls the pain of the suffering.

In general, this phrase was nothing atheistic or rebellious. In those years, opium was used as the main analgesic, so it was not seen as a drug, but as a means of supporting sick people.

With regard to Novalis's poem, which deals with the analgesic effect of religion, it is most likely meant that religion is capable of bringing to life of society its positive moments, in part mitigating the pain of social plagues 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, might have been consigned to oblivion, had it not reappeared in England.

These words were uttered in his sermon by the Anglican priest Charles Kingsley. He was a bright personality: an intelligent and educated man, Kingsley was one of the creators of the ideas of Christian socialism - a teaching that involved the restructuring of society on the principles of Christian morality.

In this case, the expression "Religion - opium for the people" in the works of this priest was used in the sense of "sedative anesthetic".

The fact is that in the middle of the last century in Western European thought there were heated debates about which way to choose humanity: the path of Christian humanism, Christian socialism, the path of atheistic socialism or simply the preservation of the established world order.

One of Kingsley's opponents was the famous philosopher and publicist Karl Marx.

What did Marx say?

In many ways, thanks to Marx, this phrase has become so widespread. In his highly acclaimed work "Towards a Critique of the Hegelian Philosophy of Law," which was published in 1843, the philosopher, with his vehemence and peremptoriness, declared that religion is a means of appeasing humanity, expressing the desire of people to escape from the domination of nature and unjust laws Society.

Until then, few of the philosophers dared openly write such words about religion. In fact, these were the first sprouts of the future preaching of atheism and socialism, which captured the world only after decades.

Probably, without being fully aware of this, he did much to destroy the Christian idea in Western European thought. "Religion - opium for the people" - an expression in the meaning that the preacher of socialism meant, was scary for a deeply religious person. Its devastation manifested itself in transforming religion into a social institution for regulating social relations and closing the question of God's presence in the world of people.

The work of Marx caused a huge public response, and therefore the phrase about religion was remembered by contemporaries.

Lenin's works on religion

But much further in his understanding of religion went VI Lenin. A revolutionary who had a positive opinion on the subject "The Law of God" in the gymnasium, wrote about religion in 1905 as a method of spiritual oppression, which should be excluded from the social order.

Therefore, the author of the expression "Religion - opium for the people" (the full phrase more specifically sounds like "Religion - the opium of the people") can be considered Vladimir Ilyich.

Four years later, 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. Many phrases were humorous in the people.

Contributed to this and satirical literature of those years. In the novel of two writers I. Ilf and E. Petrov "Twelve Chairs" young adventurer Ostap Bender asks his rival priest about how much he sells opium to the people. This dialogue between the two heroes was written so brilliantly that the phrase about opium became very popular.

Therefore, today, when someone uses the phrase, not the works of Marx and Lenin are recalled, but the dialogue of two heroes from the famous novel.

Therefore, it turns out that on the whole, 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 into a state of intoxication, but a means of helping and supporting people.

Thus, it can be concluded that many of us are well aware of the phrase "Religion is opium for the people." Those who said these words are not so important, because this expression is used today more in a humorous way. And this is unlikely to change.