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MARXISM in Crime, + (NEO-MARXISM in Crime) - Coggle Diagram
MARXISM in Crime
ALTHUSSER
EVALUATIONS:
- Theoretical basis to his ideas - not based on actual research
- People can reject the ruling class ideology without resorting to actions that require the RSA to intervene
- Democratic principles in the UK require the state to obtain the consent of the masses in order to govern
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About
- He was a structural Marxist
- Reproduction of inequality in society - influenced by Marx's ideas of economic base and superstructure
- Ruling class controlled the behaviors of the working class through social institutions
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LAW CREATION
About
- Trad Marxists argue that the ruling class has control over the ability to make laws
- Chambliss (1976): the purpose of law was to protect private property from the masses
- Laws protecting the interests of the ruling classes started to appear with the ownership of private property
Examples
- Tax legislation: allows companies to avoid paying tax in the UK with registered offices in tax havens
- Failure to implement recommendations of Grenfell inquiry due to cost to businesses
- Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership - abandoned in 2019
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CRIMINOGENIC CAPITALISM
Mankoff (1976)
- Crime is higher in the USA than European nations due to higher welfare spending
- European feel protected by the state and so dont need to commit crimes
- Basic needs are met i.e. healthcare, food, child support
Chambliss (1976)
- Crime is universal throughout the social-class system due to the individualistic and utilitarian nature of capitalism
- Working-class criminals have limited means to commit crime and gravitate towards violent acts and exploitation of weaker individuals
- Ruling class has unlimited means and so can commit more subtle forms of crime i.e. corporate crime
Snider (1993)
- Capitalism encourages corporate crimes through competition as firms will break the law for higher profits
- Street crimes cost less than corporate crimes i.e. insider trading, money laundering and fraudulent accounting
- In her research, street crime cost $4 billion, compared to $325 billion bailout of banks
EVALUATIONS:
- Structural inequality caused by capitalist system has been cited by many as a reason for crime - e.g. Merton, Left Realists
- Doesn't explain why working-class criminals don't target higher social classes for criminal activity
- Doesn't explain why some working-class people don't turn to crime despite precarious financial situations
About:
- Marxists suggest capitalism is responsible for much of the crime committed in society
- Bonger (1916): capitalism was criminogenic by its very design
- Capitalism creates false needs whilst simultaneously denying people the means to achieve these
- Advertising promotes goods and services + Capitalists keep wages low in order to maximize profit = People turn to crime in order to meet these 'false needs'
Gordon (1976)
- Capitalism is a 'dog eat dog' society and generated competition leads to criminal activities
- Crime is a rational act in order to get ahead of others in competing positions
- Particularly in the USA, with reduced welfare safety net, this means working class commit crime to survive
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+ (NEO-MARXISM in Crime)
TAYLOR, WALTON AND YOUNG
Evaluations
- Hall's ‘Policing the Crisis’ adopted Fully Social Theory to explain the negative portrayal of black criminality
- Its idealistic, suggesting that crime is motivated by a desire to get revenge against inequalities in society
- Doesn’t explain why crime is mostly committed against other working-class individuals
The New Criminology
- Inspired by both trad Marxist ideas and the ideas of labelling theory
- Social structures shaped criminal behaviour, however individuals could demonstrate agency
- Saw criminals as victims of social stigma and actively resisting elements of capitalism
- Taylor, Walton and Young (1973): developed the concept of a fully social theory of deviance
- Developed a more holistic approach to researching deviance, seeing deviance as being influenced by both structural forces and individual agency