sociology marxist mind map
- Created by: Ben McCarthy97
- Created on: 24-03-15 12:33
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- Marxist Theories
- Criminogenic Capitalism
- Capitalism by its very nature causes crime.
- Capitalism is based on the exploitation of the working class, using them as a means of profit.
- This means that it is particularly damaging on the working class and may cause rises in crime.
- Poverty may mean that crime is the only way the working class can survive.
- Crime may be the only way they can obtain the consumer goods encouraged by capitalist advertising.
- Alienation and lack of control over their lives may lead to frustration and aggression.
- However crime is not just confined to the working class, because of the competitive of a capitalist environment white collar crime is also commonly committed.
- This means that it is particularly damaging on the working class and may cause rises in crime.
- The state and law making.
- Marxists see law making and enforcement as in favor of the ruling class.
- Chambliss illustrates this in terms of housing laws.
- Ruling class also have the power to prevent the introduction of laws that would threaten there interests.
- Selective Enforcement.
- Marxists argue that although all classes commit crime, when it comes to the application of the law by the criminal justice system, there is selective enforcement.
- Whilst powerless groups such as the working class and ethnic minorities are criminalised, the police and justice system tends to ignore the laws of the ruling class.
- Marxists argue that although all classes commit crime, when it comes to the application of the law by the criminal justice system, there is selective enforcement.
- Marxists see law making and enforcement as in favor of the ruling class.
- Ideological functions of crime and law
- The law, crime and criminals perform an ideological function for capitalism.
- Laws are occasionally passed that appear to be for the benefit for capitalism.
- Such as workplace health and safety laws.
- Because the state enforces the law selectively, crime appears to be a working class phenomenon. People blame criminals rather then capitalism.
- Laws are occasionally passed that appear to be for the benefit for capitalism.
- The law, crime and criminals perform an ideological function for capitalism.
- Evaluation for traditional Marxism.
- Marxism shows the links between law making and enforcement and the interests of capitalism.
- Criticisms
- It largely ignores the relationship between crime and important non-class inequalities such as ethnicity and gender.
- It is to deterministic and over predicts the amount the amount of crime in the working class, not all poor people commit crime despite pressures of poverty.
- The criminals justice system does sometimes act against the interests of capitalist class.
- Left realists Marxists focus to much on crimes of the powerful and dont think about the victims of burglarys and and violent crimes.
- Criminogenic Capitalism
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