Abstract：“Primitive” has two main meanings: one is describing preceding or coming earlier in time; the other is describing the ancient form. Marx and Engels used this word quite frequently and modified 128 nouns with this adjective. The double meaning of “primitive” is closely related to their use of the phrases “Die Roheste Form der Religion” and “Urreligion”. The former emphasizes the oldest form of religion, while the latter emphasizes the religion that precedes in time and form, that is, the religion of primitive times and primitive societies.Marx and Engels did not study “primitive religion” before 1879, nor did they use the term “primitive religion”, but called it ancient religion. Although Marx and Engels had previously dealt with the most primitive forms of religion, such as fetishism, natural religion and animal religion, these contents were Marx and Engels’ simple views on ancient religion without understanding primitive society, which did not belong to the scope of Marx and Engels’ primitive religion theory. Although later cultural anthropologists regarded fetishism, natural religion, and animal religion as primitive religions when studying primitive religions, Marx and Engels did not explicitly say like this. Therefore, when we integrate the theory of primitive religion of Marx and Engels, we should not incorporate the most primitive forms of Marx and Engels’ discussions on religion into it. Although Marx and Engels did not put forward a systematic theory about primitive religion, they published many theories about primitive religion. These theories can be integrated into five parts： the development stage of primitive religions, worship rituals, spontaneous nature, cognitive roots, and social functions, etc.Primitive religion is the weak link in the study of Marx and Engels’ religious theory, and the study of Marx and Engels’ theory of primitive religion by Chinese scholars is also lacking. Previous studies have not distinguished between “the most primitive form of religion” and “primitive religion”. From our interpretation, in the context of Marx and Engels’ original works, primitive religion is the religion of primitive times and primitive society, not the most primitive form of religion. This distinction helps us to integrate Marx and Engels’ theories of primitive religion, clarify the main contents of Marx and Engels’ theory of primitive religion, and make theoretical preparations for the construction of Marxist religious system.The research field of this paper belongs to the basic theory of Marxist religious study. This paper pays attention to the application of Marxist genetic method, regards Marxist religious theory as a process of occurrence and development, holds a cross-cultural perspective, interprets the text of Marx and Engels’ original works using the method of historicism, closely contacts the latest research trends in the academic field, keeps inheritance and innovation, and rigorously and scientifically constructs the Marxist religious theory system in the new era.
王晓朝. 论马克思和恩格斯的原始宗教说[J]. 浙江大学学报(人文社会科学版), 2022, 52(11): 93-100.
Wang Xiaochao. On Marx and Engels’ Doctrine of Primitive Religion. JOURNAL OF ZHEJIANG UNIVERSITY, 2022, 52(11): 93-100.
2022, Vol. 52 
