Marxism Flashcards
What is the marxist perspective of crime?
3 aspects of crime and deviance:
- Law represents the interest of the ruling class
- All crime is a result of the class struggle both within and between classes
- There’s a correlation between an individuals relationship with the means of production and crime
David Gordon
Class inequalities & Crime
Suggests capitalism creates the potential for criminal behaviour in two ways:
1. Social class inequality means working class crime is a rational response to the inequality in society
2. Ideologies of capitalism are criminogenic (encourages criminal behaviour in all social classes), dog eat dog society where everyone is looking out for their own self-interests
Walter Reckless
Bimodal of Crime
Supports the view presented by Gordon, that crime is throughout all social classes.
He suggests that crime is most frequent among the upper and lower classes, although the crimes of the upper classes are rarely reflected in official crime statistics.
Middle class crime rate is the lowest.
There is a significant dark figure of crime.
Richard Quinney
Capitalism and Inequalities
Sees crime as a result of inequality in capitalist societies.
Laws reflect the interest of the most powerful ruling classes.
The law is an instrument of the state and ruling class, used to maintain social and economic order, and the position of the ruling classes.
Crime control in capitalist society is accomplished through the agents of social control, which are administered by the government and are controlled by the ruling class.
Only with the collapse of capitalist society and the creation of a new society based on socialism will there be a solution to crime.
William Chambliss
Crime of Inequality
Argues that there is too much focus on the crimes of the poor, rather than the crimes of inequality, which is the main cause of crime.
He argues 5 points:
*Polarisation - as capitalist societies industrialise and the gap between the bourgeoisie and proletariat grow, as will inequality
*Diversion - crime diverts lower classes attention from the exploitation they experience rather than toward the capitalist class or the economic system
*Reality - crime is a reality that’s created by those who benefit from the presence of crime, the ruling classes are able to define crime
*Conditions - crime is a reaction to the life conditions of a person’s social class e.g working class = poverty, ruling class = greed
*Socialism - socialism will reduce inequality and the forces causing crime
Chambliss & Seidman
Unfair Legal System
The poor are treated unfairly by the criminal justice system, as judges are members of the ruling class so treat them favourably, and working class get given longer sentences even for the same crime.
The social position of judges are biased in favour of the wealthy, judges are usually white males who went to top unis or had private education.
Cullen & Agnew
Capitalism, Young People & Crime
The capitalist economic structure has a harmful impact on youth opportunities, resulting in young people turning to crime.
David Greenberg
Capitalism, Young People & Crime
Capitalist system is unable to provide full time jobs for teens, which strengthens inequality.
‘Masculine Status Anxiety’ strikes those young men unable to gain employment and assume traditional male role, peer groups activities requiring money, increases adolescent theft
Laureen Snider
Laws Benefit Ruling Class
Capitalist state is reluctant to pass laws which limit the ruling class.
The government wants to attract and protect investment and wealth creation, so they fail to regulate the workplace with criminal laws.
Louis Althusser
Law as Ideology and Social Control
Argued that law is an ideological state apparatus supported by the police, which form part of the repressive state apparatus.
The CJS seek to maintain class inequality in 4 ways:
- Laws protects the major priorities of capitalism (wealth, profit, private property)
- The powerful kill and injure members of society, however these are considered ‘health and safety’ rather than a criminal offence
- Law enforcement is selective and tends to favour the rich and powerful
- Crimes committed by higher class people are less likely to be criminal offences
Willem Bonger
Crime Threatens Interests of the Bourgeoisie
The powerful are able to define crime as anything which threatens their interests such as property crime, there is more focus on this type of crime rather than crimes of the rich.
Poor people commit crime for 2 reasons:
1. in order to survive in an economic system
2. the demoralising effect of being impoverished
Edwin Sutherland
White Collar Crime
Described this as crime committed by people of respectability and high social status in the course of their occupation e.g fraud, money laundering.
White collar crimes are largely hidden from the crime statistics, this is because they are difficult to detect and are often victimless.
What are the different forms of white collar crime?
Corporate Crime - crimes committed by large companies or individuals acting on behalf of the company, these crimes are financially motivated.
Occupational Crime - crime that’s committed through opportunity created in the course of a legal occupation, can range from theft within a company to multi billion pound Ponzi schemes.
State Crime - crimes committed by state/government, includes illegal war, assassination
Green Crime - crime against the environment, can be by corporations and individuals e.g dumping hazardous waste.
Frank Pearce
Crimes of the Powerful
Term used to describe crimes committed by states and corporations.
Provides a marxist analysis of the corporate abuse of power.
Describes how the ruling class are involved with criminal activity.
Crimes of the powerful are mostly committed by men.
Hazel Croall
Potential Gains from White Collar Crime
People who own the means of production have greater opportunity than most to make large sums of money from crime.
4 types of corporate crime:
*Crime against consumers - incorrect produce description, price fixing
*Crime against employees - over working, paying below minimum wage
*Environmental offences - pollution, fly tipping
*Financial crimes - tax evasion, fraud
