| In the history of socialism development , the relationship between socialism and religion is a very complicated problem which tends to be simplified. It is complicated and hard to be dealt with not only because socialism and religion are by nature controversial in world outlook, but because religion plays a very complicated role in social history and class struggle, which makes it hard for people to put it into a universal law and a general pattern; it tends to be simplified because it is generally agreed that religion, an external force that dominates people's daily life, is an false reflection of life and a reversed outlook. Hence , so long as we make some simple deductions on the basis of that, we'll easily arrive at a general conclusion. On the basis of the author's research on historical documents, the thesis investigates how Marx and Engels, the initiators of scientific socialism and great masters of Proletariat revolution, came to a correct understanding of religion and how they gained an insight into the problems inherent in the development of socialism while they were engaged in founding the theory of scientific socialism and instructed the proletariat in the socialism movement.The thesis contains 3 parts which are subdivided into 5 chapters.The introduction gives the definition of socialism, religion and investigates the nature of the relation between the two. It also introduces the present achievements of both Chinese and foreign researchers on this topic, elaborates on the social significance of the topic and points out the methods of research employed in this thesis.Chapter I: Religious Problems in the Development of Utopian Socialism of Europe in 19th Century. This chapter introduces the main ideas of Utopian socialism at its primary level, especially the Utopian Socialism in 19th century which was used as the main source of scientific socialism. It points out that though 19th century Utopian Socialism criticized the traditional religion and the church , it failed to draw a clear demarcation between religion and itself due to its historical constraints. The chapter also analyses the reasons why Utopian Socialism failed to break off from the shackle of religious ideas.Chapter II: The Early Ideas of Marx and Engels on Religion. This chapter mainly dwells on the ideas of Marx and Engels on religion before the shift of their ideas in the world outlook and political stand to show that the two masters were not born materialists and communists. By gradually breaking off the shackle of the religion and drawing a demarcation from religious theology, they finally elevated Utopian Socialism into science and thus completed their first great revolutionary step in the history of socialist ideas.Chapter III: Religious Problems in the Formation of Scientific Socialism. The chapter dwells on the objective conditions as well as the subjective conditions for the formation of scientific socialism in1940s. In the social practice and theoretical activities, the Weltanschauung of Marx and Engles gradually turned from Mentalism into Materialism while their political stands shifted from revolutionary Democratism into Communism. During that time, they also founded their theory of "surplus value". More importantly, as the author points out, Marx and Engles began this theoretical and social activities by studying and criticizing religious ideas. And the criticizing of the religion was the premise on which they analyzed societies; Atheism made it possible for them to shift to materialism and communism. Along with this shift in world view and political stand, their ideas on religion also underwent a major change in the revolutionary and theoretical activities. The publish of Communist Manifesto indicated not only the birth of scientific socialism but also the formation of Marxist religious theory.Chapter IV: Religious Problems in Socialism Development in 1848 Europe Revolution and in the "First International". This chapter discusses that during Europe revolution and the "First International", the two i... |
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