Left and Right Wing Flashcards
What is left wing?
- emphasise on freedom, equality, right and progress.
- They want government to be more involved to make society better. (Top-down)
- Focus on revolution. This means increased regulations of business and higher taxes on the rich.
Examples: Labour Party, The Greens, The Democratic party
What is right wing?
- emphasise on hierarchy, order and duty,
- want less government involvement to make society better. (bottom- up)
- government shouldn’t impose many rules on individuals lives.
- Have more religious attitudes such as against same sex marriages and abortions.
Examples : The Republications, Conservative, UK independence Party
Who created the control theory?
What is the control theory?
Hirschi
Most people do not commit crime as they are too integrated into the norms and values of society and have too much to lose.
Those who do not have strong social bonds are more likely to commit crime.
* Attachment – Being attached to others in society (e.g. family, friends, colleagues), caring about them and what they think.
* Commitment – Having responsibilities (e.g. job, dependents, house, possessions). People do not commit crime in case they lose these things.
* Involvement – Being part of a community, family, workplace, social group. People do not commit crime as they are too busy and involved in these groups to even consider it.
* Belief – Subscribing to a common values system within a culture (e.g. religious beliefs, norms and values of society). People don’t commit crime as they have been taught that it is wrong.
Charles Murray
Inadequate socialisation can lead young people from the underclass to develop a culture of…
* Dependency
*Lack of discipline and respect
*Criminality
* Laziness
Overgenerous welfare payments feckless behaviour
Single mothers raising young boys crime, poor impulse control, lazy, sexual predators
Girls without fathers emotionally damaged and seek a substitute – leads to teenage pregnancy
Murray & Herrnstein (1994) - Claim there is a correlation between intelligence (IQ) and criminality. Also claimed certain ethnicities have lower IQs. This has all been challenged.
Evaluation on Murray
Gallie (1994) – Interviewed long-term unemployed about their attitudes to work and found that most had a strong work ethic and wanted to work.
Charlesworth (1999) – Studied those in poverty in Rotherham. Found that even though poverty had negative effects on physical and mental health, most still had strong moral values and did not commit crime.
IQ tests may be culturally biased. Poverty may affect IQ and criminality. The criminal justice system may be institutionally racist.
Left Realist
- (left wing) argues that inequality is the main cause of crime and we need more community interventions to reduce crime.
Right Realist
- crime is a problem that affects the poor, meaning that poor people are the reason for crime.
- Argue that formal social control is put in place to stop criminal trends.
Realist Criminologists
- Accept the basic idea of the typical criminal shown in the police recorded crime figures but do keep in mind they’re not accurate.
- Claim that traditional theories are too idealistic and romanticise the criminal.
Also claim traditional theories are too remote and offer no practical solution. Realists offer practical solutions.
Right Realists
- Focus on conventional ideas of crime and focus almost entirely on street crime.
- Blame crime on the individual offenders.
- Focus on solutions that control offenders.
Left Realists
- Believe focussing on street crime is too narrow, so also focus on white collar crime (fraud) and global crime.
- Focus more on social injustice, inequalities, the relationships between police and offenders/society.
- Can be seen as radical criminologists.
WIlson (1975)
- Believes that mainstream criminology (Marxists) is based too much on ideology rather than facts (e.g. too focused on white collar crime).
- Believes than society’s morals must be upheld.
- Believes that trying to understand crime and thus justify it is not desirable.
Long term trends in crime are due to three factors…
- Young males are aggressive and have short term horizons, so are more likely to commit crime. So, as the age structure of the population shifts, so will levels of crime.
- The benefits and costs of crime will change at different times, due to accessibility, the economy, availability of jobs. These will change the rates of crime.
- Broad social and cultural changes in society, reinforced through the family, the media, religion, may influence general norms and values.
Wilson 1975
- Argued that these factors are largely uncontrollable so governments cannot prevent the origin of crimes.
- Claims that poverty does not cause crime
- Suggest that crime can only be prevented by enforcing the law.
- If social order is clearly maintained and the police are visibly clamping down on crime, people will not be tempted to commit crime and others will act as informal social control
Wilson & Kelling 1972
- Low level disorder - staying indoors more & not getting involved - crime flourishes as nobody challenges it - urban decay & more crime - people will move away & the area will go into downward spiral.
- Argues that once an area as a criminal culture, there’s no point in policing it. We should focus on policing those areas that are at the tipping point.
Wilson & Herrnstein
- Suggest there is a biological element to criminal behaviour.
- Argue some people do have a predisposition (the chances of developing a disorder) for criminality.
- These traits are highlighted without proper socialisation.
- In a strong nuclear family, these criminal characteristics are supressed by the right norms and values.
In other families (single parents, the correct socialisation is not provided.
