Marxism

Question 1

general theory:

Answer 1

they don’t agree that deviance is functional for society

they argue that it’s the powerful who benefit as they can pass laws which favour them

they argue that it’s the capitalism system that drives people to crime

focusing on white-collar and corporate crime too

Question 2

ideology

Answer 2

marxists focus on ideology, idea and believes that suit the powerful and their interests

these ideas make sure the powerless stay in their place and they’re presented as ‘fact’ so everyone in society accepts their ideas

Question 3

social control

Althusser (1970)

Answer 3

argues that control of the proletariat is maintained through 2 sets of institutions:

Ideological State Apparatus

Repressive State Apparatus

Question 4

Ideological State Apparatus (ISA)

Answer 4

controls us more subtly, by socialising us to accept capitalist ideology

e.g. agencies of social control (family, media etc)

ISA functions by ideology

Question 5

Repressive State Apparatus (RSA)

Answer 5

directly and obviously controls the proletariat

e.g. armed forces, police and cjs

RSA functions by violence

Question 6

Box (1983)

Answer 6

illustrated how crime is socially constructed by the powerful

murder can be seen as ‘avoidable killing’ but there are many avoidable killings which don’t get classified as murder

we’re encourage to see murder as a particular act involving stereotypical actors and instruments

those who commit legally defined murder are usually poorer and less powerful than those who commit ‘avoidable killing’

other ‘avoidable killings’ that aren’t consider murder included deaths resulting from failure to give priority to health and safety risks etc

Question 7

Box (1983)

Answer 7

directly links crime to social control, arguing that the statistics are socially constructed and manipulated to criminalise the powerless i.e. most criminals are WC

see crime as a problem justifies an increase in policing and surveillance and greater powers of punishment etc

we’re encourage to fear the typical criminal

Question 8

Bonger (1916)

Answer 8

draws a causal link between crime and economic conditions.

much crime is caused by poverty e.g. during periods of economic depression, crime rates amongst the poorest sections of society increase.

Question 9

Gordon (1973)

Answer 9

argues that the focus of public fear and governmental control is on ‘urban’ and ‘violent’ times with little attention being given to white collar crime

Question 10

Chambliss (1975)

Answer 10

argues that the structure of capitalism creates both the desire to consume and thus inability to earn enough money to meet these consumption desires.

Question 11

Evaluating Marxism:

Answer 11

accused of being too extreme to argue that the ruling class are all involved in a deliberate conspiracy to control and criminalise the working class.

also there are laws that protect the powerless i.e. murder, theft, raps and health and safety

also most people do obey the law which is suggestive of a value consensus