Unit 2: AC2.3 - Marxism - Social structure SOC

Question 1

What is the Marxist explanation for crime?

Answer 1

Capitalist society causes crime through the middle class exploiting the working class

Question 2

What is a key assumption of Marxist explanation of crime? (resources)

Answer 2

There is an unequal distribution of resources which makes crime criminogenic

Question 3

What is another key assumption of Marxist explanation of crime? (response)

Answer 3

Crime is a logical response to inequality and poverty which appears to be a working class phenomenon

Question 4

What is capitalist society characterised by?

Answer 4

Consumerism and competition

Question 5

What are three reasons that we are less aware of middle-class crime?

Answer 5

They are protected by:

• Selective law enforcement,
• Power and control
• Promoting individual motivation to commit crime

Question 6

Selective law enforcement

Answer 6

Capitalist society is underpoliced, under reported and under estimated.

Question 7

What is an example of selective law enforcement?

Answer 7

Tax evasions done by the middle-class rarely prosecuted but benefit fraud from the working-class

Question 8

What is an example of a law that is passed but is weakly enforced?

Answer 8

Health and safety laws.

Question 9

How does having weakly enforced health and safety laws benefit the middle-class?

Answer 9

They are able to continue to exploit the working-class and not protect them

Question 10

What is an example of a health and safety law violated by the middle-class?

Answer 10

Primark workers stuck in a collapsed building in Dhaka when conditions were previously complained about.

Question 11

Power and control

Answer 11

Middle-class crimes were ignored/covered up so it looks like the working-class are the criminals

Question 12

How do the middle-class have power and controls?

Answer 12

They own the media so then they are able to divert attention away from the middle-class and onto frightening groups (terrorists) which justified stop and searches

Question 13

Promoting individual motivation to commit crimes

Answer 13

Individuals are motivated to commit crimes to express their frustrations due to three things in capitalist society.

Question 14

What does capitalist society give rise to?

Answer 14

Lack of respect in society for each other, envy and hostility towards wealthy and working-class frustration with failure.