Marxism Flashcards
What do marxists believe in
Society is split into WC and RC
the structure of capitalism explains crime
What is criminogenic capitalism
Crime is inevitable- capitalism causes crime by its nature
WC exploited - commit crime to survive
commit crime to get consumer goods capitalism promotes
Alienation + lack of control leads to frustration and aggression and violent crimes
RC - crime to get more money due to American dream
What is the state and law making?
Law making + enforcement benefits RC
they have the power to prevent laws that harm their interests + vice versa
Chambliss - intro of english law to east African colonies - criminal offence to not pay tax - have to work so benefits RC
what is selective enforcement
The CJS chooses which crimes to prosecute or turn a blind eye to
WC and EM criminalised - turn blind eye to crimes of the powerful
high rate of prosecution for street crime
CJS focusses on crimes of the streets not crimes of the suites
prosecutes some crimes of the wealthy as a smokescreen
What is ideological functions of crime
Spreads ideas to keep workers passive
some laws benefit workers - just a caring face
distracts WC of their exploitation to direct hostility to WC criminals - safety valve
neo marxism beliefs
WC choose their behaviour
Crime is a conscious choice with a political motive
Why does crime and deviance happen? - neo marxists
1.The wider origins of the deviant act
2.The immediate origins of the deviant act
3.The act itself
- Immediate origins of the social reaction
- Wider origins of social reaction
- effects of labelling on the deviants future actions
What is the wider origins of the deviant act?
Crime in capitalism societies is related to wider structural factors such as inequality of power
What is the immediate origins of the deviant act?
The context in which the individual chooses to commit a crime - humans are rational so pick crime that benefits them
What is the act itself?
Why have they decided to commit crime? what does this mean to them?
What is the immediate origins of social reaction
the reactions of those around the deviant - police + family
What is the wider origins of social reaction?
in capitalist society who has the power to define actions as deviant + label others
why some acts treated more harshly
what is the effects of labelling on the deviants future actions
how the deviant responds to a social reaction - deviance amplification in some cases
