Marxism and Neo-Marxism Flashcards
What term did Bonger introduce and what does it mean
Capitalism is criminogenic which means capitalism causes crime.
Why does capitalism cause crime?
Capitalism promotes values of egoism and selfishness which pressures people to want more and own more things resulting in utilitarian crimes like theft.
What is alienation?
Feeling out of place and having a lack of control leads to frustration and results in non-utilitarian crimes.
What does Gordon notice about crime?
All social classes commit crime which means he notices blue and white collar crimes.
What term does Gordon introduce and what does it mean
Dog eat dog system which means everyone is for themselves creating a me first society.
What does Chambliss say about the state and law making? (3)
It only serves the interest of the capitalist system.
‘at the heart of the capitalist system lies the protection of private property.’
The ruling class have the power to prevent the introduction of laws that would threaten their interests.
What did Snider argue there is? (2)
There is a ‘caring face of capitalism’
Crimes of the powerful, like tax evasion, are more costly.
What does Gordon argue there is? (3)
Selective law enforcement.
Crime is mainly committed by disturbed w/c people and this diverts the attention away from the exploitation that they experience, reinforcing false class consciousness.
This selective law enforcement helps to maintain ruling class power and reinforce ruling class ideology.
What are the ideological functions of crime and law? (2)
Althusser - maintains the interest of the bourgeoisie and keeps w/c people in false class consciousness.
There are laws that seem to ‘benefit’ people like minimum wage and sick pay but they keep the status quo going diverting people away from corporate crimes because they feel like that the laws are there to benefit them.
What is the MONSANTO milk case about? (5)
Two Fox news reporters (Akre and Wilson) carried out research about a hormone BHG which was injected into cows to encourage them to produce more milk.
But this hormone contaminated the milk supply and could cause colon and breast cancer.
It hadn’t been tested by the drug company and the reporters discovered that the Canadian government had received an attempt at bribery from Monsanto.
Th company’s lawyers prevented the story from being published and the reporters were sacked.
They tried to release the story elsewhere but they found themselves in court.
What are strengths of Marxism? (3)
They acknowledge that crime happens in all social classes and isn’t just a working-class phenomena.
They recognise that there are selective law enforcements where laws are there to benefit the ruling class.
Crime is criminogenic meaning that capitalism causes crime. Crime is not individual, the system should be blamed.
What are criticisms of Marxism? (3)
They are too deterministic and don’t take into account other CAGE elements.
Not all capitalist countries have high crime rates.
Marxists ignore inter-class crimes like burgulary and muggings.
The CJS do act against the ruling class. E.g: prosecutions of corporate crime do occur. But, fines are nothing to them because they are rich.
What do Neo-Marxists think of crime and deviance? (4)
Argued that a fully social analysis is required.
They accuse TM of being too deterministic. No one is forced to commit crime, so it is a voluntary act.
W/c crimes are seen as meaningful and symbolic political acts of resistance to ruling class oppression.
Robin Hood mentality - giving more wealth in society.
Who created the New Criminology?
Taylor, Walton and Young.
What is the fully social analysis theory?
It takes into account micro and macro (Marxism and Interactionsim) putting everything into perspective.
