Neo-Marxism: Critical Criminology

Question 1

Overview

Answer 1

Neo-Marxists are heavily influenced by traditional Marxism, but they also combine ideas from other approaches such as labelling theory. Taylor, Walton & Young (1973) agree that the structure of capitalist society creates crime, the state makes & enforces laws in the interests of the ruling class & that capitalism should be replaced by a classless society.

However, Taylor et al criticise all existing theories of crime & deviance including that of traditional Marxism & attempt to create a neo-Marxist theory that gives a more complete understanding of deviant & criminal behaviour by putting together the useful parts of a number of sociological theories.

Question 2

Too deterministic

Answer 2

Taylor et al argue that traditional Marxism is deterministic, e.g. it sees workers as driven to commit crime out of economic necessity & ignores the free will of the individual involved. They reject this idea, along with theories that claim crime is caused by other external forces such as anomie, subcultures, labelling, or biological or psychological factors. Instead, they suggest a voluntaristic view (basically the opposite of determinism where we have free will to choose).

They see crime as meaningful action & a conscious choice by the actor. In particular, they argue that crime often has a political motive, e.g. to redistribute wealth from the rich to the poor.

Question 3

A fully social theory of deviance

Answer 3

Taylor et al aim to create a ‘fully social theory of deviance’ to give a complete understanding of crime & deviance that will help to positively change society for the better. They base this theory on traditional Marxist ideas about the unequal distribution of wealth & power alongside ideas from interactionism & labelling theory which focus on the meaning of the deviant act for the actor, societal reactions to it & the effects of the deviant label on the individual.

Question 4

A fully social theory of deviance

6 aspects

Answer 4

1. ‘The wider origins of the deviant act’ in the unequal distribution of wealth & power in capitalist society.
2. ‘The immediate origins of the deviant act’: the immediate social context within which an individual chooses to commit an act of deviance – why did the individual choose to take that action on that day?
3. ‘The actual act’: E.g. what might lead youths with similar problems to choose different actions such as crime or retreatism – why that particular act?
4. ‘The immediate origins of social reaction’: the immediate response of other people, such as members of the deviant’s family & factors influencing police to arrest some youths & turn a blind eye to others.
5. ‘Wider origins of deviant reaction’: political influences on why particular acts are viewed as crimes & how they should be punished by the criminal justice system.
6. ‘The effects of labelling on the deviant’s future action’: e.g. why does labelling lead to deviance amplification in some cases but not in others?

Question 5

aims

Answer 5

consider the nature of the deviant process as a whole by looking at the complex interaction between structural, subcultural & personal influences on the offender & the further complications of societal responses. Taylor, Walton & Young’s work is useful in recognising that crime cannot be adequately explained by single theories such as Marxism, but their multi-causal approach would be very difficult to apply in a specific research situation.