Who proposed that religion is the "sigh of the oppressed creature"?

The statement "religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature" is attributed to Karl Marx, who explored the relationship between religion and social conditions. In his view, religion serves as a form of protest against suffering and oppression experienced by individuals in society. Marx argued that religion provides comfort and solace to people facing injustices, acting as a coping mechanism in difficult times.

His perspective emphasizes that rather than being a divine construct, religion is shaped by human social realities and struggles. For Marx, this phrase encapsulates the idea that religion arises in contexts of alienation and economic disparity, reflecting the struggles of the oppressed and offering them a semblance of hope, albeit one that he believed could distract from the need for material change in society.

This understanding makes Marx's approach to religion distinct from the other thinkers listed. Sigmund Freud, while examining religion through a psychological lens, viewed it as an illusion rather than a societal response to injustice. Paul Tillich saw religion as a means of addressing ultimate concerns and existential questions, while William James analyzed religion in terms of individual experiences and pragmatism. Marx’s view, therefore, specifically highlights the social and economic dimensions of religion, marking it as a critique of societal conditions rather than a purely personal or psychological phenomenon.