Marxism Flashcards
Is it true of false that the w/c are more likely to commit offences than higher classes:
True
What do Functionalists say about class differences?
Not everyone is socialized into the same set of shared values,
Miller: the w/c have a different set of subcultural values which differs from mainstreams values
What do Labelling theories say about class differences?
Challenge the official statistics and investigate social control agencies and their involvement with crime
What do Strain theorists say about class differences?
Merton: the w/c are more likely to experience strain and therefore are more likely to turn to illegitimate means.
What is Criminogenic Capitalism:
The Marxist idea that capitalism by its very nature causes crime.
In what three ways does Capitalism cause crime according to criminogenic capitalism:
-Poverty: Crime is the only way the w/c can survive.
-Consumer Goods: Crime is the only way that the w/c can achieve goods which are encouraged by advertisements from big businesses.
-Alienation- Feel frustrated over the lack of control they have over lives and results in non-utilitarian crimes as a release of frustrations.
Who is the sociologist for Criminogenic Capitalism and what do they say?
Gordon: crime is a rational response the capitalist exploitation, however O.S make this appear as a w/c phenomenon when it occurs throughout all classes.
How does the state and law making cause crime?
-The law and agencies of social control (police) serve the interests of the ruling class
What is an example of state and law making causing crime according to Chambliss?
- The introduction of English law into the British East African Colonies served the interest of plantation owners.
What does Sinder say about the Capitalist Governments?
The Capitalist State is reluctant to pass laws and policies that will threaten the profitability of their businesses.
What is Selective Enforcement?
The police and criminal justice system criminalize powerless groups such as the Ethnic Minorities and Working Class, and the crimes of more powerful groups such as White and Upper Class, are ignored.
What does Reiman say about selective enforcement?
‘the rich get rich and the poor get poorer’
This means that crimes such as tax evasion are ignored (powerful) and the focus is more on street crimes (powerless)
What does it mean when Capitalist agencies have Ideological Functions of the Law?
-When laws are passed that appear to benefit the subject class, when in reality, they can benefit the ruling class.
An example of a law passed as an Ideological Function;
Health and Safety Laws
Pearce says this benefits the ruling class as it keeps the workers fit to work and benefit big buisnesses
What do these laws create?
A false consciousness for the workers- an appearance that capitalism cares.
Blame each other rather than the inequalities that capitalism produces.
What is Neo-Marxism?
A theory which is influenced by Marxism, but combines interactionist beliefs and the inclusion of labelling.
Outline main Neo-Marxist approach to crime:
-The capitalist society is based upon exploitation of subject class
-The state selectively enforces
-There is a voluntary aspect to crime and individuals are not always pushed into crime by capitalism
Which sociologist discusses anti-determinism?
Taylor et al
What does Taylor propose?
-Everyone has free will to commit crime, people choose to engage in crime often with political motives in order to redistribute wealth.
-Often, crime is committed in order to bring about social change
What does the Neo-Marxist fully social theory of crime involve?
-The meaning of the deviant act and the effects of a deviant label on the individual
Name all the six elements under the fully social theory of crime:
- Wider origins of the deviant act- what is happening in society to make someone commit a crime.
- The act itself- The meaning of the act (political, necessity)
- The wider origins of societal reaction- By who and why is the act named deviant?
- The immediate origins of the deviant act- Why have they offended?
- The origins of societal reaction- Reactions of control agencies
- The effects on the deviants future
What can be used to criticise Neo-Marxism?
- They romantise criminals as a ‘Robin Hood ‘ figure when in reality, they are still criminals
- Burke; offer no solutions on how to reduce crime, too general an explanation.
