Marxism on crime Flashcards
What does Althusser state about crime?
- Reproduction if inequality.
- The ruling class controls the behaviours of the working class through social institutions.
What does Althusser say about the ISA and the RSA?
This is how the w/c are controlled.
ISA = altering the way they view society.
RSA = once rejected the ISA, done through force such as the police + legal systems tp keep social order.
What is an example of RSA?
US police responses to the blacklivesmateter protests.
Who argues that capitalism is criminogenic?
Bonger.
What does Bonger argue about crime?
- Capitalism creates false needs whilst denying the means to achieve them.
- Advertising promotes goods/services + capitalism keeps wages low to maximise profit = people turn to crime to meet these ‘false needs’.
What does Chambless argue about crime?
- W/C criminals = have limited means to commit Crome and gravitate towards violent acts + exploitation of weaker people.
- R/C = have unlimited means so can commit more subtle forms of crime.
What does Gordon argue about crime?
- Capitalism is a ‘dog eat dog’ society + competition leads to criminal activities.
- Crime is a rational act to get ahead of others.
What does Mankoff argue about crime?
- Crime is higher in the USA compared to Eurpoe as citizens feel protected by the state so they don’t need to commit crimes.
- Basic needs are met such as healthcare, food and child support.
How do laws keep capitalsim stable?
- Ideological function of law enforcement.
- Health and safety laws keep the working class able to work (protection).
- Gordon: causes misrepresentation that criminal justice system is fair.
Who are the Neo-marxist theorists?
Taylor,Walton,Young.
(Combination of marxism and labelling).
What did Neo-marxists argue about crime?
- Those deviating align meanings and interpret the reactions of others to their crime.
- Saw criminals as victims of social stigma and were resisting against the unequal structure of capitalism.
- Developed a ‘fully social theory of deviance’ = crime was influenced by structural forces and individual agency.
What are the factors of deviant beahviour?
1) Wider origins of deviant act.
2) Immediate origins of deviant act.
3) The actual act of deviance.
4) Immediate origins of social reaction.
5) Wider origins of social reaction.
6) Impact of social reactions on future behaviour.
What does the wider origins of deviant act mean?
Refers to the power structure in society + social inequality.
What does the Immediate origins of deviant act mean?
The particular circumstances that have caused person to commit crime (motivation to deviate).
What does the actual act of deviance mean?
What was the meaning of the act for the individual.
