Social change and conservative force

religion as a conservative force

• Religion acts as a conservative force when it maintains traditional values, resists change, and upholds the existing social order.

1. Functionalism (Durkheim, Parsons, Malinowski)

• Religion promotes social solidarity and value consensus.

• Durkheim: Sacred symbols unite society.

• Parsons: Religion provides moral guidelines and helps social integration.

• Malinowski: Religion helps people cope with uncertainty and loss.

➡ Overall: Religion conserves society by reinforcing norms and maintaining stability.

Marxism (Conservative Force)

• Marx: Religion = “opium of the people.”

  • Legitimizes inequality, dulls pain of exploitation, and maintains capitalism.

  • Example: Promises of heaven justify suffering on earth.

• Religion supports ruling-class ideology → keeps workers passive.

➡ Therefore, Religion acts as a conservative force by maintaining class structure.

Feminism (Conservative Force)

• Religion legitimises patriarchy and traditional gender roles.

• De Beauvoir: Religion makes women accept inferior status.

• Holm: Women often excluded from leadership in religion.

➡ Therefore: Religion conserves male power and traditional family roles.

religion creates social change

• Maduro -

• social and political impact - priests involved in this movement spoke out against government  repression, leaders of the social justice movement

• Religion can be a revolutionary force for social change, not just a conservative one, by acting independently of the ruling class

• provides a platform for oppressed groups to organize and challenge existing power structures

• liberation theology - clergy - championed the poor and promoted wealth redistribution, inspiring radical social change

Bloch -

• Religion promotes social change through its expression of the ‘ principle of hope’ - envisions a better utopian society, and can inspire people to challenge oppression

• motivates individuals and groups to organize for revolutionary challenge - the American civil rights movement and liberation theology

• utopian vision - religious beliefs offer individuals a vision of a better world, which can inspire and encourage them to work towards that ideal future on earth

Billings - 

• religion impact on social change depends on hegemony

• it can be a conservative force or a catalyst for change

• 1990- study of miners and textile workers - miners become militant due to supportive clergy, independent church spaces for organization 

findings - 

		Groups Religious Role Outcome
Groups	Religious Role	Outcome
Coal miners	Their churches were strongly involved in community life and encouraged solidarity. Ministers supported the workers’ rights. Religion became a source of leadership, organisation, and motivation.	Religion helped them unite and fight for better conditions — a force for social change.
Textile workers	Churches were more passive and focused on personal salvation rather than social justice. Religious leaders supported the status quo.	Religion discouraged protest and maintained acceptance of exploitation.

Religion can promote social change - Weber

• The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism (1905)

  Main idea:
  Religious beliefs (Calvinism) helped bring about economic change — the rise of modern capitalism.

  🔑 Key Calvinist Beliefs:

• The protestant ethic refers to the values and attitudes promoted by Protestantism, such as hard work, discipline, and frugality - behaviours seen as moral duties and signs of righteous life

• weber - this ethic encouraged people to work systematically and rationally, helping to develop capitalist attitudes

predestination - the Calvinist belief that God has already chosen who will be saved and who will be damned - people could not change their fate, but they sought signs of being chosen by God - economic success and hard work were often interpreted as possible signs of salvation

asceticism - refers to the lifestyle of self-discipline, self-denial, and avoidance of luxury - Calvinists believed worldly pleasures were sinful, so they reinvested their earnings rather than spending on indulgences - reinvestment of profits helped fuel the growth of capitalism

The idea of a vocation or calling - idea of a vocation or calling - the belief that serving God could be done through one’s everyday work - work seen as a moral duty calling from God - individuals approached their jobs with dedication and power 

neo Marxism - religion as a liberating force

• Maduro (1982) – Liberation Theology

  • In Latin America, Catholic priests took the side of the poor under oppressive regimes.

  • Religion can challenge inequality and support the oppressed → “the church of the poor.”

  • Religion becomes a revolutionary force (e.g. Liberation Theology in 1970s Brazil).

  ➡ Religion can be a force for social justice and change, not just oppression.

Bloch (1959) – The Principle of Hope

• Religion has a dual character: it can justify oppression, but also inspire freedom.

• Religious images of a better world (heaven, salvation) give people hope and dreams of change.

• This can motivate rebellion and revolutionary movements.

➡ Religion contains both conservative and radical potential.

Billings (1990) – The Case Study of Class Conflict

• Compared coal miners and textile workers in 1920s USA.

• Both were working class, but religion had different effects:

  • Coal miners: Church supported union activism and strikes → religion = force for change.

  • Textile workers: Church leaders supported employers → religion = conservative force.

➡ Religion’s impact depends on how it’s used by different groups

Bruce - explored how religion can be a force for social change - study of 2 protestant movements in America

• American Civil Rights Movement

• fought to end racial segregation

• led by martin Luther king

• protesting, direct action, boycott

• churches provided meeting places, safety, and gave moral support, rituals

• it was successful - changed laws and policies

The Christian New Right

• politically and morally conservative - they are a protestant fundamentalist movement

• aim - take America back to god

• make abortion and homosexuality illegal, traditional and conservative beliefs

• Methods used to achieve social change - use of media and networking, churches owned television stations - broadcasted programs aimed at recruiting new members

• Role of the church - raise awareness of their views by recruiting members

• Unsuccessful - campaigns find it difficult to cooperate with people from other religious groups, so it lacks widespread support

criticisms

• ⚖ General Criticisms of the Whole Topic

  ✅ Religion can act as both a conservative and a progressive force — it depends on social context, culture, and leadership (Bruce; Billings).
  ❌ Religion’s power and influence are declining due to secularisation and rationalization.
  ❌ Economic, political, or technological changes often drive social change more than religion (Tawney, Kautsky).
  ❌ Religion is fragmented and diverse today — no single belief system is strong enough to unite or transform society (postmodern view).
  ❌ Some “religious” movements are spiritual or consumerist, not revolutionary (Heelas, Bauman).
  ✅ However, religion can still motivate moral and civil rights movements (Bruce – Civil Rights in USA).