Traditional Marxism

TRADITIONAL MARXISM

Criminogenic capitalism

• Capitalism by its very nature causes crime
• Capitalism is based on the exploitation of the working class . It is therefore particularly damaging for the working class and this may give rise to crime because: poverty may mean that crime is the only way the working class can survive, crime may be the only way they can obtain consumer goods (relative deprivation) leading to utilitarian crime, and alienation and lack of conrol over their lives may lead to frustration leading to non-utilitarian crimes
• However crime is not contained to the working class... upper class commit corporate/white-collar crime due to the competition between capitalists.
• Gordon: crime is a rational response to the capitalist system

The state and law making

• Marxists sees laws as only serving the interests of the capitalist class.
• Chambliss: the study of English law in Britain's…