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What is the meaning of the phrase 'opiates of the masses'?

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This is part of a frequent paraphrasing of a quote from Karl Marx - “Religion is the opiate of the masses, the original quote being “Religion is the opium of the people.” It means that religion is an effective way of keeping an oppressed population docile and distracted, and therefore less inclined to revolution. read more

" Since Marx is comparing religion to a recreational drug, I think he means that religion is an artificial means to keep people happy/contented, even if they're too poor for opium. read more

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