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#444 – Vejas Liulevicius: Communism, Marxism, Nazism, Stalin, Mao, and Hitler
Lex Fridman Podcast
Marxism as a Religion
Marxism contains a hidden religious or secular religious element, presenting Marx as a savior figure akin to Prometheus or Moses, tasked with leading humanity to a promised utopia. This ideological framework parallels traditional religious concepts, with the apocalypse or final revolution symbolizing a transformative event that promises a blessed state akin to heaven. The working class embodies humanity's struggle for redemption within this narrative. Scholars have noted this phenomenon, with Reinhold Niebuhr advocating that Soviet communism functions as a religion, echoing sentiments from earlier ideologies. Eric Fergelen identified political movements like fascism, Nazism, and Soviet communism as modern political religions, suggesting they fulfill promises traditionally associated with religion. He cautioned that this eschatological outlook, proclaiming imminent salvation, could lead to disastrous consequences.
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