Marxist–Leninist atheism

Marxist–Leninist atheism, also known as Marxist–Leninist scientific atheism, is the antireligious element of Marxism–Leninism. Based on a dialectical-materialist understanding of humanity's place in nature, Marxist–Leninist atheism proposes that religion is the opium of the people; thus, Marxism–Leninism advocates atheism, rather than religious belief.

To support those ideological premises, Marxist–Leninist atheism proposes an explanation for the origin of religion and explains methods for the scientific criticism of religion. The philosophic roots of Marxist–Leninist atheism appear in the works of Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel (1770–1831), of Ludwig Feuerbach (1804–1872), of Karl Marx (1818–1883) and of Vladimir Lenin (1870–1924).

Marxist–Leninist atheism has informed public policy in various countries, such as the Soviet Union (1922-1991) and the People's Republic of China (1949- ), for example. Some non-Soviet Marxists have opposed this antireligious stance, and certain forms of Marxist thinking, such as the liberation theology movements in Latin America, have rejected Marxist–Leninist atheism entirely.