Marxism and neo marxism Flashcards
What does MARXIST Law reflect?
Reflection of ruling class ideology
It explores wider social, economic, and political factors.
Are all laws in the interest of the ruling class?
No, e.g., traffic laws
Not all laws serve the ruling class’s interests.
What concept does Gordon (1976) associate with crime?
Crime as a rational response to the capitalist system
Found in all social classes; characterized by a ‘dog eat dog’ competitive society.
What does Chambliss (1975) argue about capitalism?
Capitalism is criminogenic, based on competition, selfishness, and greed
It shapes people’s attitudes to life.
What is the crime rate situation in Switzerland and Japan according to Jones (2015)?
Capitalist but low crime rates
Indicates that capitalism alone does not determine crime rates.
What does Snider (1993) state about the capitalist state?
Reluctant to pass laws regulating large corporations
Laws that threaten profitability are rarely enacted.
What incident exemplifies the harm caused by large corporations?
BP’s oil rig spill killing 11 in 2010
Highlights the physical and economic harm caused by corporate negligence.
What does Sayer (2015) suggest about the rich and the law?
Rich shape law to avoid prison
Government does not shut down loopholes to avoid tax.
What concept does Reiman (2001) discuss regarding powerless groups?
Powerless groups, e.g., W/C, are criminalized
Police and courts tend to ignore crimes of the powerful.
What is the focus of intra-class crimes according to Reiman?
Overpredict and deterministic of W/C crime
Highlights how societal structures influence perceptions of crime.
What does Gordon (1976) say about selective reinforcement (SR)?
SR divides the W/C, encouraging blame on criminals
This diverts attention from capitalism as the root cause.
What is the process of labelling in the context of crime?
Emphasis on social structure rather than social action
Highlights how societal perceptions influence criminality.
What does Cohen’s subculture theory (1972) focus on?
Skinheads expressing resistance to unemployment
Their clothing reflects a male manual worker subculture.
What critique does Blackman (1995) have regarding Cohen’s study?
Ignores variation of W/C subcultures based on age and locality
Suggests a need for a broader understanding of subcultures.
What is the ‘fully social theory of deviance’ proposed by Taylor et al (1973)?
Includes immediate and wider origins of deviant acts and social reactions
Considers effects of labelling in understanding deviance.
What example does Hall et al provide related to policing crises?
1970s policing crisis w/mugging of African-Americans
Used scapegoats to distract from the social crisis.
What do feminists criticize in the study of crime?
Gender blind focus on male criminality
They argue this perspective neglects female perspectives on crime.
What romantic view of criminals does Rock (1988) present?
Criminals as ‘Robin Hoods’ fighting capitalism
They are seen as redistributing wealth from the rich to the poor.
