IGNOU MSO 4 2026 2027 - Discuss the contributions of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber

Question

Discuss the contributions of Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber to
the understanding of religion as a social institution.

30 Jul 2026

Answer :

Word Count : 503

Religion has been one of the central concerns of sociology because it plays a significant role in shaping social relationships, cultural values, and patterns of human behaviour. Karl Marx, Emile Durkheim, and Max Weber, the three major classical sociologists, provided different perspectives on religion as a social institution. Their theories continue to influence sociological studies of religion, including the study of religion in India. Karl Marx viewed religion primarily through the lens of social inequality and economic structures. According to Marx, religion is a product of social conditions created by class divisions. He famously described religion as the “opium of the people,” suggesting that religion provides comfort and hope to oppressed groups while diverting their attention from material exploitation and class struggle. Marx argued that dominant classes use religious ideas to justify existing social arrangements and maintain their power. In the Indian context, Marxist sociologists have

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