MARXISM Flashcards
Focus on.
Ideology.
Marxists - ideology.
Suits the powerful and their interests and makes sure the powerless stay in their place.
Capitalist Ideology
Fact and everyone accepts it and does not question if it is true.
Althusser - two controlling organisations.
- The Repressive State Apparatus.
- The Ideological State Apparatus.
Althusser - RSAs
Control through government, police, armed forces and CJS.
Althusser - ISAs
Control subtly through socialisation of accepting the capitalist ideology.
Box - example.
Uses examples of theft and murder to show how ‘crime’ is socially constructed.
Box - explains murder.
‘Avoidable killing.’
Box - murder and power.
People who commit legally defined murder tend to be poorer and powerless.
Box - avoidable killings among those in power.
Other killings are not seen as murder, such as health and safety violations.
Marx - alienation.
Describes a sense of powerlessness, lack of control and disconnectedness.
Bonger - crime and economic conditions.
Crime is caused by poverty, poor living conditions and scarcity of resources.
Gordon - white collar crime.
There is a lot of focus on violent crime but little attention on white collar crime, despite the harm it does.
Chambliss - capitalism.
Creates the desire to consume, but also the inability to earn enough money to meet these desires, leading people to crime.
Criticism.
Accused of being too extreme and farfetched. Are the ruling class in a deliberate conspiracy to criminalise lower classes? Probably not.
