Religion and Anti-Religion: Experience of a Transition

The articlegivesan accountofthe confrontation between Marxism-Leninismand Christian-ity in Czechoslovakia. First the extentofsecularization of Czechsociety isfollowed and then the socio-historical conditionsfor thepossible conversion ofpopulation to an atheistic philosophy is examined. Against this background, the policy of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia in these mattersisdescribed. In connection with theofficialaim to educatetheyoung generationin the Marxist/Leninist spirit, a briefaccountof the main tenetsof the doctrine is given. Because Marxists/Leninists consider theirteachingtobetheonlytrulyscientificteachingonsociety and its development, these tenetsareconfrontedwithsomerealfeatures of theCzech development under Communistrule. Specialreference is madeto thequasi-religious aspects of theMarxist/Leninist doctrine, features which largely superseded its original claim to be a scientific theory. The Marxist-Leninist political movement is not satisfied with the change only in the mode of production. According to its tenets, the successful solution of its basic task is supposed to pave the way for a corresponding change in the cultural superstructure as well; however, this latter change cannot be considered as a mere dependent variable. It is understood that adequate measures to speed up thi