Karl Marx and Charles Darwin both proved to be strong voices against the chorus in their respective fields, especially in their quintessential works, Marx's Communist Manifesto, and Darwin's The Descent of Man. Both writers are recognized as accomplished scientists, who hoped to improve understanding of the world around them through their works, although in ways distinct from each other. Yet one obvious similarity lies in their rejection of religion. Both authors suggest that religion is a concept incompatible with science. Marx is less concerned with the ideas and concepts addressed by religion than with the medium through which they are presented. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get the original essay As a social construct, Marx believes that organized religion would be a vestige of the bourgeois ruling class if it continues to exist in a communist state. If people in a communist state still needed to come together and express their religious feelings, then Marx would be of the opinion that people are oppressed in their daily lives and that the revolution has failed to accomplish what 'she was looking for. Marx therefore concludes that religion is incompatible with communism, which, as a scientist, he believes constitutes the most equitable social structure. Darwin, even if his ideas seem to be those which contrast most with traditional Christian views, does not neglect the usefulness of organized religion. He asserts, notably in defense of his work, that religion and natural sciences are used to solve distinct problems. He believes that science should answer questions that fall within our scope of understanding, so that we can better understand and interact with our environment, while religion should (and is) used for questions beyond our perception, such as death and the purpose of life. Darwin's views are superior to those of Marx because they clearly define the boundaries between religion and science and more realistically recognize the limitations of the scientific and religious world, compared to Marx's somewhat idealistic expectations of a communist society without religion. Karl Marx begins The Communist Manifesto with powerful and poetic prose: “A specter haunts Europe: the specter of communism” (Marx 71). Marx refers to his political theory of communism, which he attempts to convince the reader is both necessary and inevitable, throughout his text. In Critique of Hegel's Philosophy of Right, Marx forcefully states that "religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world and the soul of soulless conditions." It is the opium of the people” (Marx Introduction, 1). Marx's language expresses what might be called a heresy for the times, because it opposes one of, if not the most, powerful social and economic forces in the world. Marx never published this work, which is completely understandable, but he delivers a similar message, albeit diluted, to reach as many people as possible in The Communist Manifesto. Marx states that “the ideas, views and conceptions of man, in a word, the consciousness of man, change with every change in the conditions of his material existence, in his social relations and in his social life… » (Marx 90). Clearly, Marx believes that with the change in the political system from capitalism to communism, a change he advocates, certain ideas and sentiments that once prevailed must come to an end. However, it is saidexplicitly to the reader that these ideas are religious. : The history of all past societies has consisted of the development of class antagonisms, antagonisms which have taken different forms depending on the era. But whatever form they took, one fact is common to all past eras, namely the exploitation of one part of society by the other. It is therefore not surprising that the social consciousness of past eras, despite all the multiplicity and variety it displays, evolves in certain common areas.forms, or general ideas, which can only disappear completely with the total disappearance of class antagonisms (Marx 91). Simply put, Marx believes that "general ideas" in society, which tend to have a religious connotation or tone, change form as that society changes. These ideas tend to be retaliation against the current ruling class of the time, or at the very least seeking salvation from the ruling class. However, with every change in society, the only constant is that a ruling class remains. Today, with the advent of communism, a change will take place in society such that there will no longer be a "ruling class", which will therefore see the end of what is called “organized religion”. In essence, the communist society in which the people will live replaces the need for organized religion as a means of expressing ideas of retaliation against the ruling class, because class distinctions have disappeared. Some may wonder if Marx would be open to having organized religion in a communist state even if communism was successful. Perhaps a counterargument could be offered that even if vestiges of organized religion remain in a thriving communist state, it provides a useful place for worship or communal reflection. Although this sentiment seems compelling, Marx would most likely argue that the vestiges of organized religion prove that a communist state is not successful. As long as organized religion exists, the people will always be oppressed and the communist revolution will have failed. Marx's argument collapses at this point: although it has no apparent logical flaws, it makes the crucial error of assuming the people's total adherence to the principles of the communist state without taking corruption into account. , greed and desire for power. Ironically, it is his reliance on his political system that compromises the integrity of his argument. Marx's argument rests on the unconditional success of the communist revolution in bringing peace and prosperity to the oppressed proletariat. Although in theory this seems like an optimal situation, subjecting these ideas to the realities of human nature reveals their inherent flaws. Some examples include an imperfect communist state, where the political system acts more like a socialist state or a dictatorship. This may prove, especially with retrospective examples of failed communist states, to be a confounding variable in Marx's plan. Furthermore, Marx assumes that the people he introduces to communism will accept losing a familiar place of worship and will be told to place their trust in a political system for their prosperity or security. The successes of Marx's political theory depend on the overly optimistic view that people can easily abandon such deeply held religious principles. Marx behaves as an optimist in this situation, wrongly. Darwin, however, understands that relying on a single way of thinking or living to provide societal structure is neither practical nor realistic. Darwin demonstrates this understanding in his work The Descent of Man: I am aware that the conclusions, 2001.